Ashes of the Phoenix
by Celtic55
Summary: SEQUEL to THE DARKEST HOURS. "You see- there is still hope. It may be just the distant glimmer of some cold little star, but even that glimmer can guide us. This sorrow and anguish may consume us, or it may feed us."
1. A Shakey Start

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
((Thank- you all you loyal readers who are still with me, and all you new ones as well. This is the sequel to THE DARKEST HOURS, which I just finished recently. CAUTION: Contains a lot of angst and depression. However, I hope this plot is an improvement from my last fic. I made this chapter especially long.))  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Now I will tell you what I've done for you  
  
50 thousand tears I've cried  
  
Screaming deceiving and bleeding for you  
  
and you still won't hear me" -Evanescence  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The lake lapped up against the sand with the ripples the great squid sent. A cold winter breeze blew across the lakes surface, which was reflecting the clear blue sky. Only a few fluffy white clouds scattered across the perfect blue sky, the sun lighting the school grounds, dead with the winter.  
  
An Order meeting had just ended, and Hermione and Ron were seated side by side, backs leaning against a tree trunk.  
  
Ron looked at Hermione with concern. Harry had died a month ago, and she'd barely said a word since. She hardly ate, the only food she ever consumed was that which her brother Chrome forced upon her. Now she looked off into nothingness, her face looking as though in deep concentration.  
  
Ron himself had moved back into the Burrow for a while, feeling as though family would be the best cure for his depression. It could be said that he and Cho were on a break. To be quite honest, he had no idea where his heart lay anymore, or if he even had one. The decisive loss of his best friend was not like those years he had been missing. All that time Ron had suspected that Harry was alive somewhere. Now he knew that Harry was dead, and he felt hollow, as if a piece of him had been erased. Harry would never be he best man at his wedding, the god father of his kids. They would never spend Saturday afternoons watching Quidditch matches, or wave goodbye to their kids from Platform 9 ¾.  
  
This thinking was getting him nowhere and he knew it. He shook his head clear, and turned to Hermione. To his surprise she suddenly began to speak.  
  
"The night before the mission I came out here with Harry. We traded gifts for Christmas. He gave me this ring."  
  
"You were engaged?" Ron blurted out.  
  
"No. It was a promise, that he would always be with me. We weren't going to get engaged just before the mission, when. well things could happen." She finished lamely. "But I don't think he is."  
  
"Is what?" Ron asked, confused.  
  
"With me. I feel so alone."  
  
Ron had no words of consolation. Voice cracking, he recited his own memory. "I told him to take care, to come back. He told me he would, and that I was the only brother he had. He didn't come back though."  
  
They returned to silence, a heavy silence filled by two broken promises.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "But if a man could be alone, let him look at the stars." -Emerson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Regulus Leo woke up knowing only his name and his purpose. He had no past, he had no future. He only had the stars, his ever lasting commanders. He stood up from his bed, his youthful frame suffering none of the normal aches and pains of waking in the morning. He felt no fatigue, and merely crossed the dark and elaborately furnished room, taking no notice to his surroundings.  
  
He reached out and unclasped the window shutters. He pulled them open to reveal a dark valley, filled with old and beautiful trees, silent under the night sky. He focused his attention to the sky, a dark blue hue untainted by the toxins of man. Bright points of light speckled the sky, and a large full moon sat lazily in the distance, bringing shape and contrast to the valley below.  
  
The room in which Regulus Leo stood in was underground, a hidden mansion known as the House of the Heavens. The window was a portal to the valley of immortality, a place in which only Sorcerers of the Stars could visit and could gaze upon. For that was their purpose, to live as immortals, resistant to only the most powerful of ancient magic, to serve the will of their constellation, for good or bad.  
  
There was no question in Regulus Leo's mind as he gazed upon the constellation of Leo the Lion. He knew what it wanted, and he had such unyielding control over ancient magic that he could bid its will, and he would do so without question. He was merely a servant, a tool. The constellations knew what they wanted, each having separate motives, and their will would be done.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione locked the door to the flat behind her and tossed the keys down on the table.  
  
"Your home" Chrome said, his back to her as he watched the television.  
  
"Yes, you know, you could still go to the Order meetings. I'm sure we'll need your help again soon enough."  
  
"Not likely." He responded. "From what I've gathered, Dumbledore is going to be training you all on the use of ancient magic soon. Ancient magic is older than that law which makes you lose your powers if you attack Muggles. You won't be needing my help then."  
  
"We still may." Hermione said absently, sitting on the couch and pretending to watch the movie. In reality she was feeling a terrible guilt gnaw at her. She had seen Dumbledore many times since Harry's death, and yet she could not bring herself to apologize for the terrible things she had said to him that day. She should have just been grateful that the powerful and kindly wizard had survived to lead them on. She had never truly believed in the things she told him.  
  
"I'm going up to my room." She said in a depressed tone, which Chrome failed to noticed. He just nodded as she passed, not tearing his eyes away from the screen. He had never been particularly empathetic.  
  
Hermione closed her bedroom door behind her, and slowly flicked on the lights. She walked over to her closet and rolled the door open. Inside the first thing to greet her eyes was the dragon skin jacket Harry was given on Christmas. He had been wearing it when he died, and it was given to her along with other positions he wasn't to be buried with. That included his wand, which she next found in a long slender box. The wand had many memories for her, especially from back at Hogwarts, where he still used it before he learned ancient wandless magic. Soon Dumbledore would be teaching them to use some of the same magic to give them more of an advantage against muggles.  
  
As she sorted thru the closet, she came upon a picture frame, and upon pulling it out she saw that it was the picture Fred and George had given her from Christmas. She studied it for a while, trying to figure out what it was, but it was entirely undistinguishable to her. It looked somewhat like a shallow golden pot with no handle and a cover that didn't look like it could come off. It had intricate designs on it, and with closer inspection she saw that they were stars engraved into the surface. She didn't have the faintest notion as to what thing damned thing did, but she was slowly resolving to find out.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
There was a knock on the door which interrupted Chrome from his television watching. He grabbed the remote and clicked the program he was watching off. He walked to the door and opened it to see a red headed girl he recognized as Ginny Weasley standing on the other side.  
  
"Hi Chrome." She said as he opened the door.  
  
"Hi- uh Ginny. Want to come in?"  
  
"No, I'd much rather stand here all day." She teased, brushing by him to get inside. "Is Hermione home?" She asked, concern obvious in her eyes.  
  
"Yeah, she's in her room. Best not disturb her though, I think she likes to be alone there."  
  
"I understand." Ginny said with a nod. "Today's a Hogsmede day for us Hogwarts students, so I thought I'd come visit while I have the chance. Also, my mom wanted me to invite her to Easter dinner. I know it's a ways off still, but my mother likes to get things prepared ahead of time. So, if you could just tell her she's invited, I'd appreciate that."  
  
"Sure" Chrome replied.  
  
"Oh yes, and you're invited to of course."  
  
Chrome smiled a bit. "Thanks."  
  
"Seeing as you don't seem particularly talkative I suppose I best be on my way." Ginny said, refastening her cloak.  
  
"Oh, okay. I just don't have a lot to say, that's all. Oh wait, before you go, do you know where this place is?" He pulled a gift certificate out of his pocket that was to a magical tattoo shop, a gift from Hermione on Christmas.  
  
Ginny laughed. "Are you really going to get a tattoo?"  
  
"Yes, why not? I already have a few. See, here and here." He pointed to his arms to prove his point.  
  
"I'll show you where right now if you don't have anything else to do."  
  
He nodded and quickly grabbed his jacket off a hanger in the hallway, following Ginny out the door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Solitude was my only consolation- deep, dark, deathlike solitude." -Mary Shelley ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She was considering ending it all. The time was perfect, Chrome had just gone out and she wasn't expecting any visitors. All she needed was to put together a simple potion and in one sip she would be gone. All the pain and anguish that filled her life would be behind her, and she would be in a restful slumber. She would see Harry again.  
  
But could she really do it? Could she make Ron, her best friend, suffer two catastrophic losses, only a month apart? She also needed to consider her parents. They had no idea what was going on. They thought she was happily training to become a medi wizard. They didn't know of any Lord Voldemort, and all they knew of the famous Harry Potter was that he was their daughter's best friend who'd gone missing. She'd been so busy that she hadn't even had time to tell them of his return, or the change in her relationship with him. Her parents knew nothing of the dangers in the wizard world, and she'd intentionally kept it that way- she had no desire for them to make her leave it.  
  
Now so much had changed, she had to at least let them know. It may be her final farewell, but it was better then nothing. She walked over to the phone and picked it up. She quickly dialed her parent's number, and waited as it rang.  
  
"Hello?" Said the small sweet sounding voice of her mother, instantly making Hermione feel guilty for not calling in so long, and for the suicidal thoughts in her head.  
  
"Mom? It's me, Hermione."  
  
"Oh Hermione! I'm so glad to hear from you, your father and I were growing concerned, we haven't heard from you in two months!"  
  
"The phone works both ways." Hermione replied, sagging down into the plush arm chair that greeted her weary body like a cloud from heaven.  
  
"Don't be snippy! How are you?"  
  
"How am I?" Hermione thought, contemplating an answer. "Lets see, a major mission I was a part of- one that could save the world- failed. I had the perfect man, brave, loving admirable and talented- then he was murdered. Now I want to commit suicide."  
  
"I've been better" She finally responded.  
  
"Why? What's wrong?" Her mother asked, the alarm clearly heard in her tone.  
  
"I don't really want to talk about it right now, can I come over this evening?"  
  
"Of course! Both me and your father have absolutely nothing to do, and we've both missed you sorely."  
  
Hermione felt the guilt churn in her stomach once more. "Okay, I'll be over in about an hour. The fire place is still connected to the floo network right?"  
  
"Yes, if you must come that way. I have to confess, it does make a tad nervous."  
  
"It's just faster mom, and nothing will go wrong. I'll see you in an hour then."  
  
With that they hung up and Hermione went to get cleaned up.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Where were you?" Hermione asked Chrome as she fiddled through one of the kitchen drawers.  
  
"Ginny Weasley came by to invite you to Easter dinner, and then she showed me where that tattoo shop is." Chrome replied, taking his jacket off and hanging it up.  
  
"Did you get one?" She asked absently, now slamming the drawer shut, unsuccessful in her quest.  
  
"No, I can't decide what I want as a design. Are you going somewhere?"  
  
"Uh- yeah." She replied, still seeming distracted. "I'm going over my parents."  
  
"Oh." He said shortly, suddenly looking tense. "Why?"  
  
"Because some people actually visit their parents!" She snapped, immediately regretting it upon seeing his hurt look, nearly shielded but not quite. "I'm sorry Chrome, I didn't mean that. I'm just." She paused to take a deep breath, suddenly feeling shaky "feeling stressed. I'm going over to tell them about everything that's been going on."  
  
"Everything?" Chrome asked, looking as though he didn't think it was such a good idea.  
  
"Hopefully" she said with a small smile.  
  
"Well, I'll go too. I have nothing else to do anyways."  
  
"You don't have to do that Chrome. Just relax. I'll probably stay the night there."  
  
He nodded, his face serious but impossible to read. "Have fun" he added.  
  
She snorted at the thought, and then found the floo powder which she was searching for, it having been on the table in front of her the whole time. She went over to the fire place which had been recently connected so she wouldn't have to use the fire place at Fred and George's joke shop. In a roar of green flames she was gone, leaving a very useless feeling Chrome behind.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron felt the wind whipping through his hair as he flew another loop around his yard. Flying had always cleared Ron's mind in the past, but now all it did was remind him of Harry. He could remember Harry catching Neville's rememberall, Harry catching the snitch in his mouth, Harry beating Draco Malfoy, Harry's excitement at the Quidditch World Cup, Harry flying past the dragon. it just went on and on. Ron tried to shake the memory from his mind, but it was persistant.  
  
Finally he touched back on ground and was balancing his broom on his shoulder when he heard someone move behind him. He quickly dropped the broom and spun around, wand drawn.  
  
Instead of seeing a death eater he saw Cho Chang standing there.  
  
"Oh- hi Cho" he said awkwardly.  
  
He could see pity for him in Cho's eyes. She could see the war wounds he had suffered from the many battles he had fought, and the blatant paranoia in his eyes that had resulted.  
  
"Hello Ron. How are you?" She asked him, wringing her hands nervously.  
  
"As good as can be expected I suppose."  
  
"That bad huh?" She teased lightly. "All Quidditch leagues have officially been suspended until further notice."  
  
Ron's eyes widened and he sputtered, unable to form coherent words.  
  
"I just received the news, and you were the only one I could think to go to."  
  
"I'm really sorry to hear that." Ron said, embracing her in an awkward hug.  
  
"I know you are." She said with a little nod.  
  
"Would you like to." Just then Ron's words were interrupted by a loud crack of wood.  
  
"DOWN!" He shouted, tackling Cho onto the ground with him. He drew his hand and motioned for Cho to do the same.  
  
It wasn't just paranoia this time, for a moment later a dark cloaked figure stepped into the yard and aimed its wand at Ron. Ron was quicker and was able to petrify his attacker before it could launch an assault.  
  
Ron soon realized that his parents had run outside with Bill, who was visiting, and they all waited for further attack. When none came Ron got to his feet and slowly made his way to the fallen body. Cho grabbed his arm to stop him, but he just took her hand and gave it a little squeeze of reassurance before pressing forward.  
  
He pulled the mask off of the attacker to see that it was a young girl, probably just graduated from whatever school she had attended. He her hand she clutched a roll of parchment which he pried loose for her grip. As soon as he did so she disappeared.  
  
"What?!" Ron exclaimed in astonishment.  
  
"She must've just been sent to deliver that message. What does it say?" Bill inquired, concern etched onto his features.  
  
Ron unrolled the parchment and read:  
  
TELL YOUR PATHETIC DUMBLEDORE HIS TIME IS UP.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I don't know why fortune smiles on some and lets the rest go free." -Eagles ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione had eaten dinner with her parents and they told her all about the new computer they had just purchased and how it crashed the first day they had it. The conversation lasted the entire meal, and they found themselves in the living room soon after.  
  
"Oh dear, we've been talking about ourselves the whole time." Mrs. Granger laughed. "What's been up with you dear? How's medi wizard training?"  
  
"I haven't been going to classes anymore." Hermione told them, her voice stiff and expressionless.  
  
"What?! Why not?" Mr. Granger demanded.  
  
"I think I'd better start from the beginning" Hermione replied, and with a deep breath she did just that.  
  
She began by telling them about how there was an evil wizard by the name of Lord Voldemort, and how he had nearly been defeated by a baby. She continued to illustrate for them how that baby had grown up to become her best friend, and then how Voldemort had come to power after numerous failed attempts.  
  
Her parents had many comments along the way, such as:  
  
"You were in that sort of danger?!"  
  
"We thought you had been ill, we had no idea of your being petrified!"  
  
Most importantly was a question her father asked when she had completed everything up to the rise of Voldemort. He leaned back in his chair and asked:  
  
"This Harry Potter was a best friend of yours? The one you always talked about?"  
  
She felt her resolve crumbling. "Why does this have to be so difficult?" She thought desperately.  
  
"Yes" she whispered, "he was."  
  
Her mother seeing the tears in her daughter's eyes went to her side and wrapped her arms around her. "He was the one who went missing those years back." Mrs. Granger told her husband, thinking that was the cause of her daughter's pain as it had been for so long.  
  
"He came back." Hermione said softly, almost as though to herself.  
  
Mrs. Granger looked suddenly very surprised, and leaned back to look at her distressed child.  
  
"What's the problem than dear?" Her befuddled mother inquired.  
  
"He's been murdered."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "If you were busy being glad, and cheering people who are sad, although your heart would ache a bit, you'd soon forget to notice it." -"If You Were." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chrome had somehow found himself walking the pitch black path to Hogwarts that night. He found himself unsure of what else to do, and so he headed down the path, lacking in all light but that provided by the full moon and the stars. It was cold by the time he reached the building he felt as stiff as a log. He traveled the corridors to where he knew the office of Albus Dumbledore to be. He arrived at the statue and stood there, unsure of what to do next. He didn't even know the password, and wasn't sure if he'd use it if he did.  
  
Just then the statue sprang to life and gave him passageway to a staircase. Confused he decided to press forward.  
  
He arrived at Dumbledore's office door and slowly opened it.  
  
"Come in, come in." He heard from the other side, and he soon saw that the voice belonged to none other than Albus Dumbledore. The old man looked pale and more aged than ever. There was no twinkle in his eyes, and his hands were shaky. He no longer looked like the strong and admirable commander he had once been.  
  
"I've been expecting you." Dumbledore said.  
  
"Is that so?" Chrome asked with surprise.  
  
"Yes, I knew you'd become restless soon and come to me."  
  
Chrome nodded. "I can't help it, I haven't been doing anything! I have other projects I could be working on, I did my part here."  
  
"Above and beyond the call of duty" Dumbledore agreed with a nod, allowing his eyes to linger on Chrome's stomach where he had taken a bullet during the mission.  
  
"You have no more use for me being here, and I'm not being any help. to anyone."  
  
Dumbledore gave a small smile of understanding. "I wouldn't say we won't have further use for you. After all, you did prove to be drastically useful once already. However, I do not think that that is the issue we are discussing right now. You haven't been able to be helpful to your sister, is that your concern?"  
  
"Half sister" Chrome mumbled. "I suppose."  
  
"It will be difficult my dear boy. I don't suspect she'll ever be the same." He seemed to lose his voice for a moment. "But your presence alone is more than you think. I believe you should still wait before you move on."  
  
Chrome resolved to do just that. But as to what he was waiting for, he didn't know.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"The disc of immortality holds the key, find the disc and bring it to me." The constellation of Leo the Lion sang to Regulus Leo.  
  
He nodded and closed the shutters, turning back to his dark room, long shadows stretching across the floor as a low golden fire crackled and spat in the fire place. Regulus took a seat in a plush blood red chair and leaned forward, resting his head on his hands.  
  
He focused his eyes on the dancing flames of the fire place and thought only about the disc of immortality.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione focused her eyed on the flames of her parent's fireplace and thought only about Harry. How could she not? Everything that had occurred brought the memories spilling back into her mind, and she felt unwanted tears trickle down her cheeks.  
  
After she had told her parents Harry had been murdered, they seemed dazed and unsure how to react. A dreaded silence filled the room, and Hermione hated it, she hated the silence. She wished it would stop pressing in on her, stop forcing her to confront her pain. The silence would be the death of her.  
  
She closed her eyes and a tear squeezed out, briefly catching in her dark eyelashes and then descending down her softly tanned cheek.  
  
When Harry had been living she had burned memories of him into her mind, forced herself not to forget certain moments of her short tenure spent by his side, as more than just a friend. She could remember being at Gryffindor Manor as the snow fell, ambushing one another with snow balls and then resting against him as they let the cold wet droplets cover them on that dark snowy night. She remembered him giving her the ring on Christmas, how warm and comfortable he had felt as the leaned into him, how secure and happy he made her. For a man who could be so dark and sinister he had certainly lit up her world. That's because he was Harry Potter, and the world could stop on him and ruin him all it wanted but he'd keep giving.  
  
"Murdered?" Her mother finally squeaked, seeking solace in her husband's arms. "By whom?"  
  
"Voldemort." Hermione answered, feeling a blinding hate behind those very words. He had caused misery for them all, and more misery was sure to come.  
  
"This maniac is still alive?" Her father questioned with a bewildered tone.  
  
"Yes" Hermione responded, feeling the pain within welling up to an all time high.  
  
"Then you're still in danger!" Her father exclaimed, suddenly standing up.  
  
"The whole world is in danger." She responded, her eyes flashing with anger and malice.  
  
"No. that can't be true. We'd have heard something about it." Hermione's mother protested.  
  
"But you have! Over the past couple years, those unexplained terrorist attacks!"  
  
"Those aren't unexplained dear." Her father responded in a patronizing voice. "Various organizations have owed up to the attacks!"  
  
"Don't be so naïve!" Hermione gasped, "Of course they have, they always do! Every fanatic and lunatic on the planet wants to take claim for everything and anything they feel supports their cause! But I'll tell you the truth, the honest truth is that Voldemort is on the rise to power and soon nobody will by safe. Wizards and Muggles alike."  
  
"Don't be a fool then, get out of the line of fire Hermione!" Her father urged. "You don't have to brave about this! We can run away if this is so drastic, we can hide in another country. The United States should be safe; it's a whole other continent away from this lunatic. Your mother and I can set up out dentist practice just as easily there. You already know what happens when people stand up to him. They've been murdered!"  
  
Hermione shot up and glared at him eye to eye. "So what, I should just back down! I will not- I cannot! He has taken so much from the world, and if I die trying to stop him from taking more, so be it. At least I will have tried."  
  
Her mother was in tears. "But this isn't necessary Hermione! This isn't your war, let others fight it."  
  
Hermione heard a vase explode into a thousand pieces. The window panes rattled with her fury. "Not my war?! How can this not be! I have lost friends to this war already, it threatens to consume those I have left remaining. Ron, my best friend, is fighting in this war. His whole family, practically a second family to me, is fighting. Those I admire most, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Lupin- they are all putting their lives on the line for this war!" Hermione turned and looked at her father. "Your son, my brother, is fighting in this war. Harry fought in this war. He'd been fighting since he was eleven. And I love him." Her voice broke and she began to feel dizzy. "I loved him. How can I back down when everything that is and was good in this world remains in the balance of this war?"  
  
((And so, ASHES OF THE PHOENIX has begun. Please review, I really appreciate feed back, especially in the early stages)) 


	2. Explosive Conclusions

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
((Thank- you to you lovely reviewers, you help get chapters out, as opposed to those who don't review.. You know who you are. Just kidding, but thank you, I've written a response to all 5 of you at the bottom of the page))  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Closing your eyes to disappear  
  
you pray your dreams will leave you here  
  
but still you wake and know the truth  
  
no one's there" -Evanescence  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione did not stay with her parents that night. Instead she used floo powder to return to her flat. She felt tired, sore and ready to collapse. Her eyes were blood shot and stung every time she blinked. She felt as though she might vomit as her stomach was continuously lurching in a painful and distressing way. The flat was completely dark when she entered and she could here the stereo system playing some music playing quietly. She looked about in the darkness; feeling confused and suddenly felt a cold chill drift across her skin, giving her goose bumps. She looked to the source of the breeze and realized that Chrome had a window open and was sitting on the window sill looking out onto the starry night.  
  
"For Gods sake Chrome, close the window, you'll freeze to death!"  
  
"I'm not cold. I'm just getting some fresh air." He said, his voice sounding distant.  
  
"That's ridiculous. Is there something wrong?" She asked, growing concerned by his odd behavior.  
  
"No, I just can't sleep" he answered with a heavy sigh. "We got a message from the Order."  
  
"What?!" She exclaimed. "What'd it say?"  
  
"There's a meeting at five O'clock tomorrow morning. They wanted to have it as soon as possible because the Weasley family just got a message from Voldemort telling them to let Dumbledore know his time is up." Chrome took in a deep breathe and swallowed a swig of Fire Whiskey straight from the bottle. "Seems that Voldemort is setting out on his next stage of whatever plan the maniac has schemed up."  
  
Hermione sat on the couch and rested her head down into her hands. "Why does this all have to happen so soon?"  
  
"It'll come as it comes" Chrome responded hazily, jumping down from the sill and closing the window.  
  
"Do you know what the next phase of Voldemort's plan is?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking a bit. "Prison camps, that's what. Prison camps for Muggles and Muggle born witches and wizards. The mission- it's purpose was to stop Voldemort before this sort of thing could happen. He'll undoubtedly go for the attack on Hogwarts first. If he succeeds then there is really nothing to stop him from taking over whatever he wants."  
  
Chrome sat down next to Hermione on the couch. He held the bottle of fire whiskey up to her, and she snatched it from his and took a sip.  
  
"Awk" she sputtered "that's horrible! How can you stand that stuff?!"  
  
"Years of experience" he laughed, and fell back into the cushions of the couch as he downed another gulp.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The sun had not yet risen and the night covered them like a heavy blanket as they wove their way towards the great Hogwarts castle. Hermione pulled her jacket tightly around her, and she tried to readjust her memories to better times. Riding the boat across the Hogwarts lake as a first year- everything was so incredible and filled with a nearly tangible magic that rendered her of nearly every thought but those of indescribable bliss. Now she looked up at the school, the windows dark from the sleeping students and the grounds cold and frozen. Dead, it was all dead. "Winter has killed everything" she thought. "Absolutely everything."  
  
The order meeting proceeded with a rigid tension that felt only as stable as ice a centimeter thick. Words and memories sat like ticking bombs and every heart as Dumbledore murmured frightening words of darkness to come, his eyes and voice lacking the alighting features which had one provided comfort and an assurance of wisdom.  
  
As the meeting concluded, Hermione reached down to a black bag by her side, and lifted it into her hands. She avoided the passing Order members to find her way to Chrome. "You might as well head back, I need to talk to. someone" she said in a very enigmatic fashion.  
  
Chrome raised a confused eyebrow and answered, "how about I just wait in the hall for a while?"  
  
She nodded, not really caring what he did, and made her way to see the most important possible person she could talk to. Albus Dumbledore.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron stumbled down the hallway looking drunk, though in truth he was only disconcerted. Struggling to come to terms with losses and emotions, he wasn't sure what he wanted from life anymore.  
  
He nearly fell over, but was quickly up righted by a stranger. He looked again to see that the stranger was in fact Chrome Granger, and he murmured a thanks.  
  
"You seem drunk" Chrome forwardly mentioned.  
  
"Not yet" Ron smirked with only half a will to his jest.  
  
"Maybe this can help" Chrome told him, pulling a flask from his jacket pocket.  
  
Ron took a greedy pull from the flask and returned it to its owner.  
  
"Don't put that away!" A distinctly female voice called, and Ron groaned as his sister came up from behind them.  
  
"Honestly Ginny, why don't you save the drink for people who can hold their liquor?" He grumbled.  
  
"I am!" She said with a meaningful look at Ron. "The way I see it, there's only two people here who can, and one owns the flask. I may as well help him keep it away from you." She took at drink and recapped the flask before passing it over a sputtering Ron to a laughing Chrome.  
  
"You- you- better just go back to the common room and study or something!" Ron yelled in a not so convincing manner.  
  
"Now you just sound like Percy" Ginny scowled.  
  
Ron was about to protest to her insult when a high pitch whistling noise pierced the stillness of early morning. The three turned quickly towards the direction of the noise, and a sudden flash of light filled the night sky in a vibrant purple and white, pieces of shrapnel barely seen flying in various directions. The quake that followed the eruption shook the trees in the dark forest, sent a deep ripple across the lake and threw Ginny and Ron to the ground, Chrome hitting the wall instead.  
  
"What the bloody hell was that?!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So when in doubt just call my name  
  
Just before you go insane  
  
If I ever leave this world  
  
Hey I may never leave this world  
  
But if I ever leave this world alive  
  
She says I'm okay; I'm alright,  
  
Though you have gone from my life  
  
You said that it would,  
  
Now everything should be all right." -Flogging Molly  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione shook was a fading resolve as she headed to the office of her ex- headmaster, a journey which had come naturally to her in the past. She clutched the black bag in her hands, trying to keep her mind from straying from the task at hand. It had occurred to her in a bought of insomnia the previous night that she had to go see Dumbledore. She had seen her parents, she had spoken many times with Ron, but she still had numerous untied and indeed painful ends to tie with her beloved idol and father like figure.  
  
She knocked on his door upon arriving, and she heard him tell her to enter in a weak voice.  
  
He looked up at her, surprise apparent in his eyes.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore.I." She found her voice was failing her.  
  
"Please, call me Albus if you will." He said, and for a split second she thought she almost saw a glistening in his eye, but excused it to a natural tear that cures dryness.  
  
"Well.um. Albus," she felt odd calling him this, and quickly told him so.  
  
"I thought you may" he said with a little laugh, which despite its dryness, made her relax a bit.  
  
"I wanted to apologize. I never meant a word I said professor. I was just hurt, and confused, and truth is, I still am. But you became the receptor of my pain, you were the only one I could think to blame. But now I know there is only one person to blame - if you can even call him- it- a person. It's not you professor. And I'm so sorry.I'm just." She was unable to carry on for she was suddenly engulfed in a destroying sorrow that she felt she was drowning in. The self pity born from her mistakes, loses and confusion seemed to over take her body and soul, and she felt unable to breathe, as though she were drowning in a cold black water of despair.  
  
She suddenly felt Dumbledore's hand patting her own. "There there now. We mustn't break. We must go on. You see- there is still hope. It may be just the distant glimmer of some cold little star, but even that glimmer can guide us. This sorrow and anguish may consume us, or it may feed us. If we can triumph through times like these, we can emerge the victors over our demons- both those within and those without."  
  
Hermione looked into the eyes of Dumbledore, and she felt as though she were looking into the skies during a dark storm, and watching the dark burdensome clouds pass to reveal the clear blue sky that she so admired. The wise old man was finally hearing his own words, and suddenly a glimmer sparkled in the depths of his eyes, and she saw her glimmer of hope.  
  
"It may be just the distant glimmer of some cold little star, but even that glimmer can guide us" he had said, and now she saw it. She reached into her bag, and pulled out the picture she had gotten from Fred and George for Christmas.  
  
"Professor, do you recognize this?" She asked.  
  
He pushed his spectacles to the edge of his nose and peered down at the picture for some time before admitting that he did not.  
  
"But I believe I know someone who will" Dumbledore told her with a nod of certainty. He arose to his feet, only to be knocked back into his chair by a sudden tremble on the castle floors.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chrome helped the two Weasleys to their feet and then began to run off towards the direction of the explosion.  
  
"Hey you there! Stop!" Ron yelled as he brushed off his clothes. "Trust me, you don't want to be in that forest!"  
  
Ginny was already following Chrome however, and Ron sighed heavily as he followed in suit.  
  
It was still very dark as the sun had barely risen enough to turn the sky grey from its previous darkness. He jumped over a few roots and stumps as he charged into the Dark Forest, trying to get to the source of the explosion as quickly as he could.  
  
He could hear Ron and Ginny following in the distance as Ron cursed every time he tripped on stubbed a toe.  
  
Chrome was in full sprint when a piece of metal caught his eye. He stopped short and walked over to the scrap that was partially lodged in the ground. Dislodging it, he studied it for a moment as Ron and Ginny caught up.  
  
"What've you got there?" Ron panted, rubbing a cold sweat from his forehead.  
  
"A piece of shrapnel. Seems that that explosion was caused by a regular Muggle missile." Chrome answered, throwing the hot metal back down as he began to feel its warmth through his gloves.  
  
"A Muggle what?" Ron asked, looking utterly baffled.  
  
"Oh honestly Ron, why didn't you take Muggle Studies?! A missile is a Muggle weapon that flies through the air and can explodes upon contact!" Ginny sighed. "But who would use Muggle weaponry on Hogwarts?"  
  
Chrome shrugged to show that he didn't have the faintest clue.  
  
"No damage was done, the shields around the castle must've stopped it" Ron said, looking around and seeming every nervous. Ginny noticed his hands were shaking slightly, and she realized she needed to get him back to the castle.  
  
"Come on, let's go back to the castle and see what Dumbledore can make of it all" Ginny urged, grabbing Ron's arm and heading back in the same direction they had previously run from.  
  
Chrome didn't move for a moment, instead pulling a gun from the inside pocket of his jacket, and looking about slowly as through he was expecting something.  
  
"I'm not sure weather the fact that you carry a gun on your person at all times is reassuring or just frightening" Ron said with a little frown.  
  
"It'd be more frightening if you were on the receiving end" Chrome said with a smug look that made Ron twitch. Ginny shot Chrome a nasty glare.  
  
Ginny pulled on Ron's arm again and they headed back for the castle, Chrome a few steps behind.  
  
The barely rising sun had begun to cast shadows in the eerie forest, and Ginny didn't release Ron's arm as she walked. She could still tell that he was trembling, and she became deeply concerned. Ron wasn't exactly the rough and tough sort, but he had always been brave. He had faced missions she feared to even imagine. But something had changed. The last mission had left him in a poor state, and the paranoia he was suffering was obvious to even the densest of people. "Except for Chrome perhaps" she mused, feeling relieved as they stepped onto Hogwarts grounds.  
  
She could see Hermione running towards them in the distance, a look of panic etched across her face.  
  
"Thank gods you're okay!" Hermione gasped, hugging Ron and then Ginny. Chrome emerged from the forest, returning his gun to his jacket pocket.  
  
"You didn't shoot anyone did you?" Hermione asked him, looking quite sure that he had just in fact shot one if not several people.  
  
Chrome raised an eyebrow at her and shook his head, retreating back into the edge of the forest where he slumped up against a tree.  
  
"He didn't shoot anyone" Ginny answered for him, looking up to see that Dumbledore had just approached.  
  
"Might I enquire as to what just occurred?" Dumbledore asked, his face looking pensive.  
  
"It was a Muggle missile" Chrome called out from the shadows of the forest where they could not see him but only hear him.  
  
"Seemed to have exploded against the magic shields" Ginny added, nodding her head back towards the direction they had come from.  
  
Dumbledore's face dropped and he took half a step foreword, as though peering off into the forest for something. "Than I suppose it is about to begin."  
  
((I hope you liked Hermione's make up w/ Dumbledore, I think it was much needed. The following are in thanks to my 5 reviewers. That's right ONLY FIVE REVIEWED! If you want the chapters quicker, review, and I will personally thank you next chapter. I need to know what's going thru your minds with all this "post war drama". Thanks.))  
  
Mabelmione: I'm glad you're optimistic about the story, I hope it will be good too. With any luck it will also have a more detailed plot line.  
  
Siriuslyobsessed: Yep, there's some good old angst for you. Your approval is very important to me as your always a well rounded critic. As for all you questions.. Don't worry, they all have answers.  
  
Gryffindor260: Thanks for all the reviews I've been getting from you. Glad you thought the chapter was deep, I aim to cover the emotions experienced by characters after the traumas they've experienced.  
  
HAZZAGRIFF: I appreciate your constant reviews, sorry if this update wasn't quick enough for ya. If people review more I'll be sure to speed the process up because I'll be better motivated.  
  
Wildcat: Wow, great review. Good work speculating, whether you're right or not is for me to know and you to find out. You seem to have a lot of logic and thinking behind your deductions though. You must be reading the fic very well, and it pleases me to know my points are getting across. 


	3. Bidding with Mysterious Men

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
((Thank- you all soooo much for the reviews, I got some great feed back, my comments to you are at the end of the chapter.))  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "The truth is rarely pure and never simple." Oscar Wilde ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It had been the longest night of her life, and that was saying something as she had faced some horrible nights in the past. However, this night she hadn't slept a wink as she sat with the Order and they tried to decipher the actions of the enemy.  
  
Dumbledore was able to say with certainty that the missile had not been launched with the intent of hitting the school, but rather as a way to test the magic barriers that protected the ancient castle. With this basic understanding, it seemed safe to assume that Voldemort was trying to find a way into the school, and that an attack on the Order was being prepared.  
  
Thus the whole night was spent analyzing every possible entrance of invasion into the school. Hermione had been walking the secret passages of Hogwarts with Ron for hours, making a roughly sketched map and jotting down various things from time to time.  
  
"I can't believe how many secret passages there are in this school!" Ron exclaimed, suddenly rubbing furiously at his forehead where a spider web clung. "I wish I had known about some of these when we still went to school here!"  
  
Hermione nodded with agreement, only half listening. "I think we're coming up on a dead end."  
  
Ron sneezed loudly "Good, all this dust is really starting to get to me, now we can just turn around and leave." He took a few wide steps up ahead of her and let out a frustrated growl. "Looks like this isn't a dead end, there's another door right here!"  
  
Ron gave the door a suspicious look before stepping forward to open it. It looked as though it were composed of a thick oak, and a heavy dust had settled over it along with cobwebs that crisscrossed at the sturdy black hinges. Finally he grasped the handle at gave a rough pull, causing it to squeak foreword, but not quite open all the way.  
  
Wiping the dust from his hands, he grasped the handle with all his might and leaned back his full weight, slowly pulling the door open.  
  
"Too heavy" Ron grunted as his footing slipped on the stone floor and he had to keep leaning further and further back to budge the incessantly difficult to open door. Suddenly, the door swung open and Ron tumbled backwards and onto his bottom, landing it a massive heap of dust.  
  
Hermione suddenly found herself laughing, something she'd never thought she'd be capable of doing again. Ron tried to scowl at her as he brushed the dirt and grime off of his jeans, but found himself incapable of doing so, and soon found himself laughing as well.  
  
"Are we just going to stand here laughing all day, or are we going to see what's on the other side of this door?" He asked with mock indignation.  
  
"It just leads outside" Hermione said, gesturing out the door where they could see the sun rising on Hogwarts grounds for the start of a whole other day.  
  
"Who would've thought that we could have spent an entire evening just trying to navigate those bloody passageways?!" Ron grumbled, stepping into the dim light of morning and deeply inhaling the fresh air, a pleasant change from the musty, odorous and dank passageways from which they had just emerged.  
  
Hermione rubbed her eyes, half out of exhaustion and half from trying to adjust her sight to the new light that replaced the darkness of the passages. "Let's head back to Dumbledore with our report." She yawned, and Ron nodded, following her to the Head Master's office.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I haven't slept in almost thirty hours" Hermione thought with dull realization, as the house elves brought food to the weary Order members. It was noon and still nobody had been dismissed to head home. Even Chrome was still there, his feet propped up on the meeting table and his arms crossed as though more annoyed than tired.  
  
"Well, now that we've sorted through every passageway into Hogwarts and discussed the proper precautionary measures we must take, I suggest. we get some rest." Dumbledore concluded with a small smile.  
  
Everyone grumbled with agreement, and Dumbledore raised his arms before the volume of their voices could grow too loud.  
  
"I believe it would be prudent if the Order relocated to Hogwarts, at least until this matter passes. Rooms will be prepared for you, and if we could rejoin here tomorrow at noon with our basic belongings, that'd be greatly appreciated."  
  
Some grumbled at the inconvenience of having to leave their homes, and others were too tired to care.  
  
"You think you have it bad" Ginny mumbled to Ron "I still have classes left to go to today."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Closing your eyes to disappear  
  
you pray your dreams will leave you here  
  
but still you wake and know the truth  
  
no one's there" -Evanescence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The first thing Hermione did when she got home was flop down on her bed with a sigh of exhaustion. She fell asleep in her clothes and slept until one o'clock in the morning when she woke with a start from a particularly vivid and disturbing nightmare.  
  
In her dream, Harry had the unidentified golden object that was in Hermione's picture, and he was throwing it like a Frisbee to Chrome, who in turn threw it back. Harry was laughing and smiling, and he winked over at Hermione. She grinned happily at him, so relieved to see him alive and well.  
  
Suddenly he screamed a terrible shriek of pain and collapsed to the ground. His body lay on the ground like a formless mound, and his blood spread across the grass, coming closer and closer to her, as though it would soon flow about her and pull her into her own death. She tried to run to him, but was cemented to the spot she stood, yelling his name.  
  
He suddenly rose to his feet, and was starring at her in a dreadful and emotionless way. "HARRY!" She screamed, praying he would notice her.  
  
He didn't, and instead he turned his back to her and faded off into the distance.  
  
When Hermione awoke she jumped from bed feeling sick, and thought she may vomit but suddenly felt it passing. She instead went for a drink of water, and as she stood by the window starring into the velvety night she felt the urge to call out Harry's name, to make him come to her. But he wouldn't- he couldn't. She was alone.  
  
She washed her cup, and after drying it and putting it away, she decided to round up what she needed for Hogwarts.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She had minimized all the objects she needed to fit into one backpack which she had performed a charm on so that it weighed next to nothing. She had her wand, some of her many books, a variety of clothing, writing items, and various other personal items. She had also brought Harry's jacket and his wand, unable to leave them behind. She hoped that the stay at Hogwarts wouldn't be too long, but some frustrating, nagging little voice told her it would be.  
  
She left her room and headed downstairs where Chrome was eating from a Tupperware container of leftovers.  
  
"Are you going to Hogwarts?" She asked, looking for her jacket.  
  
"Yes, of course" he answered, his mouth half full.  
  
"Have you packed anything?" She inquired with a skeptical look, finally locating the jacket.  
  
"Yep" he responded, indicating a black duffle bag sitting on the floor.  
  
"You fit everything in there?" She asked with a little laugh.  
  
He held out his hand and seemed to be counting off every object he mentioned after he rambled off what he had packed. "I have my knives, a few of my favorite pistols, my lighter, some clothes. that's really all I need."  
  
She rolled her eyes and pulled the door open. "Then here we go."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione was led to her room by Hogwarts head girl, a thin pink faced girl with straw blonde hair who seemed overjoyed with the privilege of leading the famous Hermione Granger to her temporary quarters. Hermione wasn't really famous, and had in fact been head girl just the previous year, but that didn't seem to phase her guide, who had apparently looked up to Hermione since she the time she'd become a first year.  
  
"Here's where you'll be staying Ms. Granger" the girl squeaked with enthusiasm, and Hermione gave her a kind smile.  
  
The room was a small square with a small fire grate and a door to a tiny bathroom in the corner. It had one window which overlooked the lake, a wooden desk, and the bed scarcely constituted as a cot. It was hardly the same as the dorm rooms they had stayed in during the mission, while the students were away on holiday, but it was cozy enough.  
  
Hermione thanked the girl and set to unpacking. She took out her books, depressed by the fact that she'd only been able to bring twenty or so, and arranged them alphabetically on the shelf over her desk. She then filled the desk with her writing utensils and set up the bathroom to her standards. When she was done unpacking only one item remained- the unidentifiable picture she had received from Fred and George for Christmas. She still needed to discuss more about it with Dumbledore, but decided to save that for later. For the time being she decided that her best bet was talking with the twins.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey mate, looks like my room is right next to yours!" Fred said with an air of triumph, kicking the door to Ron's new room open.  
  
"And I'm on the other side!" George added, popping up behind his twin, who wore a patch over his eye after having been hit there by a spell during the mission.  
  
The two twins were grinning at Ron maniacally, and Ron was growing quite sure that Fred was a pirate and not his older brother.  
  
The twins had suffered losses of their own from the mission. Harry had originally funded their now successful joke shop, and was like a brother to them, but they had also lost another brother like figure, and that was Lee Jordan. Lee was like a triplet to them, and his death had come hard at first. But if one thing could be said about the Weasley twins, they weren't ones for moping about. They knew Lee would never have wanted that.  
  
Now they were bothering Ron as he attempted to unpack his belongings. He hadn't brought much, and as he approached the bottom of his bag he pulled up a small framed photo. He glanced over at the twins who were having a pillow fight with his pillows, and then turned back to the picture before flipping it over.  
  
He sucked in a deep breathe as he looked at the photo, a past favorite of his. It had been taken the summer right after graduation. He and Cho had just started going out, his relationship with Hermione having long since failed. Ron and Cho had gone to a Chudley Cannons game, Cho just weeks away from being signed with Puddlemere United. Cho protested that the Cannons were a horrible team, but agreed to go with Ron anyways. He made her wear a Cannons hat, and the moving wizard picture showed the two of them in the Cannons garb, standing in front of The Burrow just before the game. Cho was laughing in the picture, and Ron had a goofy grin on his face as he planted the occasional kiss on her cheek.  
  
"Is it just me or did it suddenly get very cold in here?" George asked Fred, noticing Ron's changed mood.  
  
Fred nodded furiously in agreement, and they crept out of the room and into the hallway where they crashed (literally) into Hermione.  
  
Hermione regained her balance and gave them a scolding look.  
  
"Oh, didn't see you there Hermione!" George said with a pert grin.  
  
"Yes, well maybe if you'd just look beyond your own nose from time to time."  
  
She never finished as Fred quickly interrupted. "Where's your room? It's incredible how many of these spare rooms they seem to have in the castle! I wonder why?"  
  
Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. "Didn't either of you read 'Hogwarts: A History'?"  
  
"No" they responded in unison, suddenly looking very bored.  
  
"These rooms are typically empty, but they were put here by the founders when they built the castle in case the ever needed extra lodging in an emergency situation. The idea was originally developed by Rowena Ravenclaw, but it was put into effect by." She stopped talking as she noticed the glazed over distant look in their eyes.  
  
"This wasn't what I was looking for you to talk about" she finally told them in a defeated sounding tone.  
  
"Oh really? Well what is it then? If it's about Snape turning into a purple skunk this morning, I swear we had nothing to do with it."  
  
She gave them a baffled look and then shook her head. "No, it's about that picture you gave me for Christmas. Ginny told me you bought it at an auction for a rather high price."  
  
"Rather high?" Fred snorted, "Try ridiculously high!"  
  
"Than why did you buy it?" Hermione asked with further confusion.  
  
"We didn't like the guy who was trying to get it." George answered, Fred nodding earnestly in agreement.  
  
"He was so sure that the picture was all his, that nobody else could afford it."  
  
"But we blew the price right out of the water!"  
  
"To the moon really."  
  
"Higher than the moon! The money we paid for it."  
  
Hermione growled in frustration. "But you don't even know what it is?"  
  
"No clue" George admitted with a little shrug.  
  
"That's why we gave it to you" Fred added, winking with his uncovered eye.  
  
"Do you know who the man was you were bidding against?" Hermione asked, hoping to find some sort of clue from them.  
  
"No, but I remember he had a fake arm." George told her. "I believe it was a silver arm actually."  
  
((hehehe, alright, there it is. Next chapter is all set and ready to go, but I'm holding it hostage until I get some good feed back on this one. Because I like comments, comments are nice, comments are good, comments are what shape the story. So, if you have comments on any of the characters, plot elements, end especially relationships cough them up. Thank- you. Now for feed back to those of you who did last chapter.))  
  
Fireflare20030: I'm glad you think the fic is awesome, I hope it will only improve. Also the fact that you liked The Darkest Hours is great, and I'm hoping that this one will be even better. Thanks for your feed back!  
  
Hi: Okay, I've started the next part, hopefully it was fast enough for you. Thanks for the review, even the smallest comments are greatly appreciated.  
  
Mabelmione: Two reviews from you already, I am incredibly grateful for your devotion, and pleased that you are enjoying the fic. You are one of the first to ever tell me that anything I've written made them cry, and I personally feel flattered that I was able to accomplish something so saddening, as that was my aim. However, if you don't like being made to cry, hang in there because there's. er. something headed your way further down the road (hint hint).  
  
Hazlnut1230: Wow, two compliments in one, that you liked the last one and that this one is equally as good. I'm glad it isn't a let down, and I hope it only gets better as the action picks up.  
  
Schnuffles06: Wow, great review, your feed back has shown me that I'm clearly accomplishing my end in getting the responses I aim to get from my readers. Thank you so much for that full feed back. Despite the fact that I killed Harry, I hope you keep reading because there are some very interesting (I hope) events coming up!  
  
Ivanela: Thanks for loving my stories, it is inspiring and just the sort of thing I need to hear in order to convince me to write more. I'm glad people are enjoying the things I write.  
  
Den_91: I can't answer your question about Harry returning, but I think you'll find some very interesting occurrences in the upcoming chapters.hehe. Thanks for your review, your feed back is much needed and much appreciated.  
  
HAZZAGRIFF: You are a great reviewer, your devotion is so inspiring, and I'm very pleased you are liking my fic. I know you like your updates quick (even if you are a hypocrite), so let me know if this one was fast enough for you!  
  
Ears91: THANK YOU for saying Chrome is an awesome character! I have a few other Chrome fans besides you now, and they all help build my confidence in including him in the story. I hate Mary Sue characters, and so I'm glad if people aren't taking him that way. I can't answer your questions, but I like your line of thinking. I'd love it if you could recommend any pairings for Chrome. the topic has been circulating but nothing is definite. Thanks!  
  
Siriuslyobsessed: Another incredible mind blowing review. As usual, you get right to the point of the matter. So lets see about what I can answer for you. yeah, Hermione and Chrome are getting closer, and there's a lot of that in upcoming chapters. About Chrome and his obsession with fire whiskey. hey, he's Irish. Hehe, JK, I feel it's essential to his character. About Ginny, she is in seventh year, Ron and Hermione just graduated and are 19 while Ginny is 18. I know they're young, but that's just the time line I chose.  
  
Gryffindor620: I look forward to you reviewing every time because you always do. I hope you flew back down from the sky to read this chapter and all its Post War Drama. Hehe, thanks again. 


	4. Shifting in the Shadows

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
((Alright reviewers!! Way to be, thank you so much, feed back at the end of the chapter. From what I've gathered everyone is enjoying this, and I'm sorry about the update delay. I've been very busy w/ work and school and all that other boring shit nobody wants to do. But here's chapter 4!!))  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"War is too important to be left to the military." -Georges Clemenceau  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione raced at top speed into Dumbledore's office. He was seated at his large desk and was just unwrapping a lemon drop as she came crashing through the door.  
  
"May I inquire as to why you nearly took my door of its hinges Ms. Granger?" He asked with a pleasant little smile, finally popping the lemon drop into his mouth and enjoying its familiar flavor.  
  
"It was Wormtail!" She panted, her eyes looking deranged with excitement and anger.  
  
Dumbledore rose an ancient white eyebrow in confusion and leaned back in his seat, folding his hands neatly on his desk. "Could you please elaborate?"  
  
"Wormtail! Peter Petigrew! He was the one trying to bid against the Weasley twins for that photo I showed you the other day!"  
  
Dumbledore was silent for a moment before making a little choking noise as the lemon drop went down the wrong way. "Pardon me" he said as he thumped himself on the chest to dislodge the candy. "Those lemon drops have a tenancy to be very slippery.  
  
Hermione just gave him an odd look of confusion.  
  
"Anyhow, this changes everything. If was an item that Pettigrew found desirable it must have had some interest to Voldemort. Something in that picture most be of importance." Dumbledore went silent, a pensive look on his face as he twiddled his thumbs.  
  
Hermione sat down as she regained her breathe. "Why a silver arm wasn't a dead indicator of Wormtail's identity when the twins saw him is beyond me. You'd think they'd know all about that considering he got the arm almost six years ago now, and the rat used to be Ron's pet."  
  
Dumbledore nodded slowly before speaking, "few know that Peter has a silver arm. That which happened during the final task of the Triwizard tournament was revealed top only a few, and that includes the replacement of Peter's arm."  
  
Hermione understood what he meant. Harry never wanted to talk about what had happened to him during the final task, and in general, it was a topic to avoid. Cedric Diggory's death and the rebirth of Voldemort made it rather taboo.  
  
"So what not?" Hermione asked.  
  
Dumbledore straightened up and removed his glasses. He began to carefully clean them, taking his time. Hermione was patient however, perfectly aware of the fact that he was thinking.  
  
"I think you should take leave from the castle" Dumbledore told her once he had replaced his glasses. "I believe that it will be prudent for you to look deeply into this matter. It may be nothing, though I highly doubt it. I have a sneaking suspicion that that picture shows us something of utmost importance, and that your time will be better spent finding out what that is than staying here to work on the school's safety measures."  
  
Hermione nodded with a slow uncertainty, biting her lip nervously. "Well then.. Where do I start?"  
  
"Yesterday I was about to tell you of a connection I have, but we were interrupted by that charming little explosion. You see, I have a friend who resides in Paris and who should be able to identify that object. He is an expert in ancient relics as he is rather old himself. As a youth he spent much time raiding Egyptian tombs and tracking relics left from a number of different historical crusades. He even spent a portion of time traveling various areas of China in search of ancient magical relics. If he cannot identify the object I fear no one can." Dumbledore paused, nodding as though lost in thought. "Lemon drop?"  
  
"No thank- you" Hermione responded, shaking her head. Silence lapsed for a moment before she stood up and took a lemon drop. "Maybe just one" she said blushing slightly.  
  
With a twinkle in his eye he began to speak once more. "I will give you some money for the trip as well as the address in which he may be found. I'm sorry to say that Muggle transportation will be the only way for you to reach your destination. As you know, these are not safe times, especially for Muggle born wizards and witches. They will be able to track you if you use magic. But you should be safe disguised as a muggle."  
  
Hermione nodded in agreement, feeling slightly excited by the notion of leaving her memory stained land for a short while, taking a short break from the pain that ever surrounding image wrought upon her.  
  
"I suspect that sending you alone would be a mistake however. I realize that you are hands down the most talented witch in the Order when it comes to fighting, but suppose something drastic occurs? I'd like to take the proper precautions. I'd like to send either Ginny or Ronald along with you, but I fear that I cannot spare both you and Ronald's help from the castle, and Ginny is still completing classes (A/n: Ginny is in her last year at Hogwarts as I've mentioned previously. Hermione and Ron graduated the previous year. Yes, they're all still quite young). Thus the only remaining person I could think of to send is Chrome. Do you have any objections to this?" Dumbledore peered at her over his half moon spectacles. Hermione couldn't think of any reason to disagree and nodded in affirmation.  
  
"Very good" he said with a pleasant smile. "I will arrange for you to fly to Paris tomorrow morning. Notify Chrome immediately." He paused for a moment, giving her a long hard look and then resumed "use the utmost caution. You cannot be careful enough on this mission. I wish you the best of luck."  
  
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The library reached seemed to reach higher than the eye could see and the made even the largest man feel miniature. Regulus Leo strode down the aisles with an air of confidence, his long black and gold trimmed robes billowing out behind him. His eyes scanned the shelves and quickly settled on the book he was looking for. There were thousands of volumes in the library, but the stars commanded him to his destination and he quickly arrived where he wished to be. He pulled the large dusty black volume from the shelf and opened it up to page 1,567.  
  
"The Disc of Immortality" he read, quickly glancing at the picture. He read the description of the powerful ancient relic and magic it commanded. Once he mastered a general knowledge of what it was he sought, he returned the book to the shelf and spun away from the book case. With long meaningful strides he left the library and headed out into the hallway. He paused once he'd passed the doors. All he needed to do was find it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Please direct your attention to the TV monitor for the Swiss Air safety video" a voice announced, repeating the words in French, Dutch, Spanish, and a multitude of other languages.  
  
Chrome didn't hear the voice as he had his head phones blaring far too loudly despite the explicit request to turn off all electronics.  
  
Hermione nudged him sharply with her elbow and quite loudly he said "What?!"  
  
She gestured to the head phones and he pulled them off with a grouchy expression on his face.  
  
"No listening to music when they're playing the safety video Eric" she teased, watching as he made a gagging face at being called by his undercover name. Dumbledore had taken all precautions to conceal their identities, including making fake Ids and passports. Chrome was traveling as Eric Jones, and Hermione was under the alias of Elizabeth Carlton. They hadn't selected their own names, and Chrome made it obvious that he disliked the name Eric.  
  
The safety video proceeded and Chrome yawned loudly whenever he felt it was appropriate.  
  
With a loud roar of engines the plane ascended into the sky. "What a rush" Chrome said with grin, enjoying the sensation of take off.  
  
Hermione looked slightly sick and merely muttered "I hate flying."  
  
The ride proceeded uneventfully, and it wasn't long before they landed at Charles DeGaule airport. Grabbing both his and Hermione's luggage he gave her a little smirk as she stepped woozily off the plane.  
  
"That was fun" he commented as they walked into the main terminal.  
  
"By whose standards?" She grumbled, quite sure that apparation or floo powder would have been far better than flying, even with any death eaters she would have had to take on.  
  
"The real trick will be seeing if they lost our luggage." Chrome said as they approached the luggage pick up area.  
  
"How would that even be possible?" Hermione asked, opting to sit on the floor when they got there. "We didn't have a layover!"  
  
"Don't ask me, I've never worked for the airlines- well not legally anyways. They're just pros at accomplishing the seemingly impossible."  
  
Hermione couldn't help but laugh a little at this, and was relived to see their luggage come rolling over to them shortly afterwards.  
  
They stepped outside and squinted in the sunlight. "A cab is supposed to pick us up" Hermione notified Chrome, who nodded in response, slipping on a pair of sunglasses. As though on cue a blue car with a sign indicating itself as a taxi pulled up in front of them.  
  
The driver got out and opened the trunk for them to store their luggage. They climbed inside and fastened their seatbelts. Hermione had the name of the hotel they were supposed to stay at, and a combination of rough English from the driver, rough French from Hermione and a mess of hand gestures got them to their destination.  
  
Once they arrived at the hotel they exited the cab and stepped out onto the side walk. Taking their luggage from the trunk, they proceeded into the lobby, a small but clean room with friendly receptionist who spoke in broken English to them. He gave them a key and directed them to their individual rooms, two tiny one bed rooms next to one another each with separate bathrooms and balconies that allowed for a view out over the park that was across the street.  
  
Once Hermione had arrived in her room she pulled open the dark heavy drapes to let in the sunlight and fell back on her bed feeling utterly exhausted. She tipped her head back into the pillows and was about to fall asleep when she heard a knock on the door.  
  
"Damn it Chrome, I swear I'll kill you first chance I get!" She pulled the bolt lock off and swung the door open to see him standing there. "What? What could you possibly want? I'm trying to sleep!" She whined, acting like a three year old on the verge of a temper tantrum.  
  
"I needed to remind you that we have our appointment at 7:00 tonight." He said, looking pleased that she was getting frustrated.  
  
"I know! It's three in the afternoon right now, we still have plenty of time!"  
  
"Aright, but suppose we leave at 5:00 so we can get something to eat? I'm starving, I don't know about you."  
  
"No, I'm not hungry."  
  
"Uh huh" he responded with heavy skepticism. "I'll be in the lodge at five, you just come if you get hungry."  
  
"Yeah sure, don't bother waiting up when I'm not there."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Through me you pass into the city of woe:  
  
Through me you pass into eternal pain:  
  
Through me among the people lost for aye.  
  
Justice the founder of my fabric moved:  
  
To rear me was the task of power divine,  
  
Supremest wisdom, and primeval love.  
  
Before me things create were none, save things  
  
Eternal, and eternal I shall endure.  
  
All hope abandon, ye who enter here."  
  
-Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, The  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At 5:05 Hermione came running down the stairs and into the lobby, refreshed from a short nap, shower, and change of clothes.  
  
"Not hungry huh?" Chrome teased, pulling on his jacket as he stood up.  
  
"You just shut up" she told him, blushing slightly none the less.  
  
They headed out onto the darkening streets, looking for a place to eat.  
  
"Maybe it'll be best of we find a place near the location of our appointment" Hermione suggested as they descended the stairs into the metro.  
  
Chrome nodded in agreement while paying for their subway tickets and they pushed thru the barriers and towards the waiting platform. Hermione quickly found a map posted on the wall and located the section of the city they needed to head for. The wait was short, and the hustle and bustle of people getting on and off the metro train soon occurred in a furious fashion.  
  
"Hey asshole, how about I." Hermione spun around to see Chrome heading to knock out a passing teen and she quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the metro train with her.  
  
"Honestly uh. Eric!" She hissed looking around her to make sure they weren't calling attention to themselves. "What were you thinking!"  
  
"The little bastard made a swipe for my wallet!" Chrome scowled, looking as though Hermione had taken a present from him in stopping him from punching the pick pocket.  
  
"As if you've never lifted somebody's wallet" she mumbled under breathe.  
  
"My crime record isn't on debate right now" he spat back.  
  
"Ever think violence isn't always the answer?" She asked with a grim expression.  
  
"Ever think it is?" He argued, much to her shock and displeasure.  
  
"You can't be serious!" She gasped, but was unable to find if he indeed was as the metro train pulled to a screeching halt, nearly causing her to loose her footing as her grip on the slippery metal bar she was holding almost released.  
  
Realizing it was their stop they set aside their arguing and left the metro train, looking about for an exit to bring them back up to the street. They located one and took it without a word to one another, still fuming from their row. Once on the road they spotted a restaurant directly across the street from them.  
  
"How about eating there?" Chrome asked, his frustration with her blatant in his voice.  
  
"It looks so. touristy" she complained, looking about for another place to go.  
  
"So what? Do you see anything else?" He snapped, his nerves wearing slim.  
  
"No" she said, her voice sounding stressed and weary. Chrome all at once felt bad for fighting with her.  
  
"Guilt? Since when do I have guilt?" He wondered, suddenly feeling very at odds with himself. Still, he felt remorseful for having been so short with Hermione, whom had been fatigued, sickly and grievous for such a long time, and still was, though it was less obvious. Maybe it was the being less obvious part that disturbed him the most. He was sure she was still suffering, he could see it in her eyes, but she had dropped the obvious signs. She had resumed eating, had stopped locking herself away for hour upon hour, even laughed or smiled from time to time. It was as though she wanted to act like she had put her sorrow behind her, when he didn't think she really had. It would end up like internal bleeding, painful on the inside and yet unnoticeable on the outside. A swift and invisible killer.  
  
He shook these concerns off and guided her into the restaurant which was almost completely crowded. They were brought over to a seat in the corner where the light had burned out and given menus to order from.  
  
"It's in French" Chrome noted.  
  
"Yes, but English translations are right below it" Hermione told him, scanning the food with little interest. It was all foods like pizza and hot dogs, nothing very customary to the area. She sighed a little and settled on splitting a pizza with Chrome.  
  
When the order arrived they ate in silence, and Hermione began considering what was needed to be done. They would find the residence of Dumbledore's connection, and she prayed that he would be able to answer their questions. The picture was shrunken into her pocket book, and was situated next to her wand. She hadn't had to use any magic thus, and she hoped not to. She didn't want to reveal any tracks of her travels open to Death Eaters. The last thing they needed was a Death Eater run in. She feared she was too tired to handle any sort of fighting. Chrome was armed; Dumbledore had pulled some strings for the transportation of his weaponry, and it had actually arrived in his hotel room before he did. But guns, knives and brute strength were no match to a well trained wizard, and Hermione suspected that most of the death eaters had been trained in some principles of ancient magic since the previous mission, so that they would be able to attack Muggles magically.  
  
These many thoughts buzzing around her head she soon realized she'd barely eaten her first piece of pizza. She noted that Chrome had accomplished the feat of eating the seven remaining pieces, and she took a few more bites before suggesting they depart.  
  
Standing up to go they headed for the door, Chrome walking behind her. They passed thru the bar section of the restaurant, and a tall blonde man with dark eyes began giving her suggestive looks as she passed. He was drunk and his words came out so slurred she could not determine what nationality he was. He suddenly reached out to grab her, and her heart jumped into her throat. Before his hand made contact Chrome had grasped a hold of it and quickly pinned the man against the wall.  
  
Chrome let out a chain of indistinguishable profanities and then punched the drunkard hard in the face before throwing him to the ground.  
  
Hermione fled the establishment, tears stinging her eyes. He had tried to touch her! Of all things, he had tried to touch HER. She couldn't stand the thought of being touched by anyone after Harry's. "yes, after Harry's death." She forced herself into thinking, the pain associated with the words making her dizzy. She began walking down the street not sure where she was going.  
  
Her mind was muddled with an aching confusion and grief. She desperately made to wipe away the tears seeping from her eyes and trickling down her face when she felt a hand grab a hold of her arm. In a flash she had a wand out, spun around and petrified the attacker.  
  
She looked down at her assailant with tear blurred eyes, and saw the still form of Chrome looking up at her.  
  
"Oh gods Chrome!" She quickly revived him and he let out a groan of pain as he got up to his feet.  
  
"I'm so sorry! I thought you were." her voice dropped off as she tearfully pleaded his forgiveness.  
  
"Hermione, it's alright! I'm fine; I have a bump to the head at worst!" Chrome quickly told her, taking a hold of her shoulders and looking her square in the eyes.  
  
Hermione sniffed as she tried to calm herself. "What's wrong with me?" She wondered feeling scared by her own reaction. In the past she would have shrugged the drunkard off as a fool and even laughed about it. Nothing had even happened, it was just the thought of anyone touching her again the way Harry had, anyone expecting her to love them beyond friendship or family was unthinkable.  
  
"You're alright" Chrome said, awkwardly patting her on the back and then taking a hold of her hand as they headed for their appointment with Dumbledore's connection.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A knock came on Ron's door as he lay on his bed flipping thru an old Quidditch magazine.  
  
"Come in" he muttered with a mouth full of chocolate frog.  
  
Ginny peered in as she slowly opened the door. "Hey Ron" she said while entering, noting how much paler Ron had grown since the mission.  
  
"Hey Gin, what's up?" He asked, closing the Quidditch magazine as he spoke.  
  
"Not much, I just finished studying and decided to see how you're doing. Are you going to training tonight?"  
  
"I don't think I have much of a choice" Ron told her with a little grin, moving over so she could sit on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Well, it'll be good. Dumbledore's going to be teaching everyone how to use ancient magic."  
  
"Everyone?" Ron asked, confused. "Not just the Order members?"  
  
"Well, he finds it important that all those who fought with us last mission get the training as well."  
  
"You mean all those who survived" Ron said glumly, turning to face away from her.  
  
"Oh Ron. Cho will be there!" Ginny responded, quickly remembering that was not the right thing to say. "Oh shit!" She thought, mentally slamming her head against the wall. "Why the hell did I just say that?! Ugh, maybe I'm more blonde than red head."  
  
Ron had quickly turned to look at her as soon as she'd said it, and the look in his eyes was conflicting. He seemed both happy and sad, excited and scared. All he managed to get out was a lame, "Oh".  
  
Ginny stood up and began pacing to rid herself of her pent up frustration. "Say Ron, what did they do with all those prisoners we Port Keyed into the dungeons?"  
  
"Azkaban Prison" Ron replied lazily.  
  
"Oh. Under the watch of those giants? How they keep some of those giants under control is beyond me."  
  
"It has a lot to do with Hagrid" Ron told her, though his attention seemed only half devoted to his response. "He has a lot of experience dealing with giants."  
  
"Oh yes, of course, that makes sense." Ginny seemed to also be half gone, and made a sloppy excuse to leave and exited Ron's temporary Hogwarts quarters, having no particular destination in mind. She ended up in the Owlery, and she walked about in circles, occasionally glancing at one owl or another to appreciate its beauty and inherent wisdom.  
  
As she was doing this a large brown grouchy looking owl Ginny recognized as Dean Thomas' dropped down onto her shoulder.  
  
She jumped a bit as he landed, causing him to hoot loudly. "Oh shush up Randolph, just give me the letter." Extending his leg Ginny removed the message, and then searched for a treat to give him. He bit her fingers harshly as he took the treat and then he flew off to find a perch to rest on.  
  
"Asshole" she cussed, realizing he had drawn blood. She unrolled the parchment and read:  
  
Hey Ginny-  
  
Sup? Did Randolph bite you again? I bet he did, mean old thing. Gotta love him all the same ("I certainly do not" Ginny thought indignantly). Well, I can't make it to training tonight, sorry about that. Could you just let Dumbledore know ASAP? Thanks baby!  
  
Love Dean  
  
Ginny sighed loudly. Now she had to walk all the way to Dumbledore's office to let him know about Dean's immaturities. What Dumbledore planned to teach them could easily save their lives some day, but Dean clearly didn't care about that. She wished he would though, she already had her concerns regarding his safety in battle, she didn't feel he was entirely qualified for missions like the last. He had survived- but next time- she just wasn't sure.  
  
Heading down to Dumbledore's office she tormented herself over the many thoughts running thru her mind, and almost didn't notice when a dark cloaked figure stepped out in front of her.  
  
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Okay, sort of a cliffie, but I bet you've all read worse. Next chapter: A mysterious figure appears at Hogwarts and a dusty old man in a dusty old room. Read to find out. Reviews are greatly appreciated.  
  
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Siriuslyobsessed: Great review, way to point out about the Marauder's Map.. In my mind I was thinking that they were checking out some new and long forgotten passageways that aren't own the map, but forgot to include that. Maybe I'll have to say something about the map in the near future. Thanks for pointing that out. Your own the right track w/ figuring out the plot, and a lot of answers are coming next chapter, but I won't tell, because as Thomas Gray said:  
  
"Yet ah! Why should they know their fate? Since sorrow never comes to late, and happiness to swiftly flies. Though would destroy their paradise. No more; where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."  
  
Of course, I suppose you can hardly call the state I have my characters in a paradise. but it may just be to what is coming in several chapter. hehehe.  
  
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Hazzagriff: Your loyal reviewing is awesome, thank you a thousand times over. Furthermore, the fact that you said my fic is too good not to like is a real confidence booster (though I know some people who don't like it so much right now since I. uh killed Harry off). Hehe, thanks again!  
  
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Schnuffles06: Thanks for that review. About Harry being the "star guy" (lol, Sorcerer of the Stars. a bit too lengthy perhaps), I have no comment at the moment. I'm glad you like the fic, and hope you enjoyed this chapter. If not stay tuned because I'm sure I have at least a bit of what your looking for coming, I have a lot planned. If there is anything specific you'd like more of, tell me in your review (THAT GOES FOR ALL YOU LOVELY REVIEWERS). Thank- you.  
  
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Gryffindor620: Your reviews are very awesome, always appreciated and the fact that you'll continue is very helpful and encouraging. And please do bombard me with reviews if I ever get so lazy as to not update for a long period of time. Hopefully this doesn't qualify as too long. Thanks again!  
  
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Mablemione: I bet this chapter confirmed your suspicions about the whole man with a silver arm thing. Your reviews are great, and I always look forward to them. Thank- you for your praise and your consistency in reviewing. It's awesome to have a fan! Keep letting me know what you think, I believe this fic will be longer than the last.  
  
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phoewolfnix: Thank- you for your review. I know killing Harry was a bit harsh, but there's. stuff coming. Still I can't lie, there'll be a lot of angst along the way. But some good stuff to, and it won't be all sadness and death (despite my evil desire to do so). I hope you keep reading, and I hope you like what you read.  
  
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Fireflare20030: Thanks for the encouragement, I think I have some even better writing and excitement coming. I just can't wait to get into the real heavy action.  
  
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Szihuoko: Wow. being hailed by a reviewer, that's sure never happened. Hehe, thanks a thousand for your review and encouragement! 


	5. A Dusty Old Man

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
((I'd like to first apologize for the delay in updating, life around this time of year can get quite crazy as I'm sure you're all aware. Hopefully this long chapter makes up for the wait. I really appreciate all the feed back people gave me last chapter, feed back to you reviewers is at the bottom. This chapter should answer some of your questions. Enjoy!))  
  
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"Surely joy is the condition of life." -Thoreau  
  
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The alley was dark and had a moist feel about it, as though a previous rain had washed through the region and then frozen in the cold night, still leaving traces of its moisture in the air. It was difficult to see as there were no lights along the alleyway. It was not a road though it may have been at one time. It was now merely a narrow and twisting passageway two tight for even the smallest and most economic French vehicle to pass down. Its uneven cobblestones provided passage for only pedestrians and bicyclists. What seemed to be a small shop stood on one side of the alleyway, but it was boarded up, its large dusty windows covered by decomposing pieces of cardboard and the pane itself lathered in dust.  
  
"Hmm. this looks appealing" Chrome said with a heavy sarcasm as they approached the shop, the home of Dumbledore's connection. Chrome knocked on the black wooden door, knocking off flakes of peeling paint in the process.  
  
There was a moment of silent waiting before they heard a loud scrabbling on the other side of the door. The rusted door latch went door as the door was opened, making a grinding, squeaking noise in the process.  
  
A half concealed eye peered out from behind the door, magnified to an astonishing size by thick lenses. "Ah, so you've arrived." The shut again and they heard the bolt lock being removed before the door reopened to admit them.  
  
Hermione bit her lower lip and peered into the dusty little room hesitantly. All about the room on rickety tables were mounds upon mounds of books, all looking ready to topple over at any moment. The ceiling was cracked and plaster was raining down to the floor where heaps of dust collected in randomly scattered piles. A single light bulb hung suspended from a wire, dangling back in forth in a hypnotic motion.  
  
Finally Chrome stepped inside and Hermione followed directly behind him, clutching her wand with paranoia, her knuckles turning white from her grasp.  
  
The strange old man was completely bald and had large blue eyes magnified behind round spectacles that reminded Hermione of what Harry had worn before his summer disappearance after fifth year. The old man's clothes looked dusty and wrinkled, as though he had shrunk out of them and now they hung limply about his small, thin figure.  
  
The old man cleared his throat loudly and pointed at Hermione's wand in her hand. "Might as well put that away. I don't use magic anymore, it interferes with the thinking process I try to do around here. I do everything the Muggle way."  
  
Hermione wanted to tell him that even Muggles clean their piles of dust up and do other house keeping, but she said nothing, instead putting her wand in her pocket.  
  
"Interferes with the thinking process? How so?" Chrome asked, and Hermione elbowed him in the ribs for being forward.  
  
The old man didn't seem to mind however, and instead smiled, saying, "when you use magic for everything you take it for granted and become afraid to do things the hard way." The old man then tottered over to a small oven in the back of the room and started the gas, igniting it with a match. Filling up a rusted kettle he placed it on the flame and returned to Hermione and Chrome to talk.  
  
"Tea?" He offered, and receiving rejections to his offer, and bade them to sit down on his whicker chairs, taking a seat himself.  
  
"My name is Samuel Jacobs, you can call me Sam. You're Hermione I take it. Albus told me all about you, said you're the brightest student Hogwarts has had since. well since before a time he can think of." Hermione smiled and blushed a bit at the honorable compliment. Sam then screwed up his enormous blue eyes, as though straining to see. "Who is this seemingly unpleasant young man you've brought with you?" He asked.  
  
Hermione couldn't help but laugh, quickly recognizing the fact that Chrome's usual smug look of self content and gravely serious expressions did not lend to favorable impressions upon strangers. "This is Chrome" she finally responded. "He's my brother and a Celtic Warrior. He's also a member of the Order of the Phoenix, which I'm sure you're familiar with."  
  
"Oh yes, yes, very familiar. A Celtic Warrior you say? That's interesting, I have spent much time studying ancient Druid magic of the Celtic reign. A fascinating subject, let me assure you. And your name is Chrome? What sort of name is Chrome?" Sam made a disgusted face, and Hermione could feel Chrome growing tense beside her. He was a smug and could be easy going when it benefited him, but he was also no nonsense, and Hermione feared he would lose his temper.  
  
"His real name is Raymond, Chrome is just a nick name" Hermione quickly explained before Chrome could open his mouth.  
  
Sam looked as though he were about make a point about that, but the kettle began to whistle so he quickly excused himself to make a cup of tea.  
  
"I'm going to wring his neck" Chrome growled under his breathe "Is this some kind of inquisition? Aren't we supposed to be asking the questions here?"  
  
Hermione patted Chrome on the back of the hand, urging him to calm down as Sam returned.  
  
"Um, Sam, I don't detect a French accent, where are you originally from?" Hermione asked politely, trying to turn the discussion away from the angry Irishman sitting beside her.  
  
Sam gave her a happy little smile that made him look like an excited puppy. "The United States actually. I was born in Massachusetts and gained my education in Salem. During my last year there I began a long term project studying the historical magic of several Native American tribes located in various region of New York. It wasn't ancient magic but it fueled my desire to learn more about the magic of the past."  
  
Hermione was immediately drawn in by his brief account of his history, fascinated by the thought of historical magic and wanting to ask thousands of questions, ranging from his education in Salem to his studies of ancient magic. She contained herself however, and stuck to the more specific question she needed to be answered.  
  
"In your studies, did you ever encounter anything like this?" She asked, handing him the shrunken picture.  
  
He eyed it closely, carefully observing every last detail to the photo. "Fascinating. marvelous. I wonder."  
  
Just as Hermione was ready to pounce on him for elaborations on his one word rambles, he began to speak.  
  
"The Disc of Immortality" he finally said. "I have only ever heard tell of it once, and it was from an expert studier of the House of the Heavens. I had visited him at one point in my travels, and he had this very picture on his wall. He told me about this little known artifact. It was created in very ancient times by the first Sorcerers of the Stars. Men and women selected by the constellations of the night sky to represent their will. These men and women are given the immortal life at the end of their mortal life, placed into a powerful position instead of truly dying. With no memory of their past they have no emotions or obligations but those commanded by the stars. They can only be defeated by an immensely strong spell, no killing curse will do it. The Disc of Immortality was created with no practical concept except to steal immortality of one of these immortal servants and give it to an immortal."  
  
He paused for a moment and then with dramatic emphasis repeated, "A mortal can use the disc to achieve immortality."  
  
"That's why Voldemort wanted it!" Hermione gasped, suddenly understanding.  
  
"The disc is meant to remain secure in an un- penetrate able vault. If it falls into the wrong hands. lets just say the one wielding it has the capacity to live an undefeated life in power."  
  
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Ginny stopped dead in her tracks as a tall and graceful man stepped from the shadows. He was wearing a long black cape with gold trimmings that brushed the floor. He had on an expensive looking outfit of all black. Golden buttons held his flat ironed black blouse closed and tall black boots made him look as though he had just stepped out of a page in history book.  
  
He had a neatly trimmed gray goatee and mustache and even black eyebrows that gave him a stern and commanding appearance. An elaborate ring adorned his right hand which was clenched by his side. His deep blue eyes seemed to pierce straight into her as he stood there, his slicked back white hair only sharpening his features.  
  
"Wh- who are you?" Ginny stuttered, a sick feeling of danger twisting and turning in her gut.  
  
The older gentleman suddenly smiled, his features softening. "My name is Adrian Rimm. I need to speak with Albus Dumbledore."  
  
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Hermione and Chrome walked back out to the street, returning to the pale light of the street lights that lined the road. They did not speak for time, merely walking and thinking.  
  
"This suddenly makes things very complicated" Hermione muttered, breaking the silence.  
  
"As if they weren't complicated enough already" Chrome breathed, Hermione giving him a weak smile in reply.  
  
"Voldemort is defiantly after this so- called Disc of Immortality." She gulped and turned slightly green. "For all we know, he may already have it."  
  
"One way or another we need to find it. So what do we do first?" Chrome turned to Hermione who was nervously wringing her hands as she thought. She knew he was turning to her for answers, because that was what Hermione Granger did, come up with answers. She needed a plan, and she had a feeling it wouldn't be easy.  
  
"We go back to the hotel and owl Dumbledore with the information we've gathered. Then we wait for his response." She decided, knowing it wasn't much of a plan.  
  
Chrome nodded, and then stopped walking. Looking about he said, "We might as well take a chance to check out Paris while we're at it."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny led Adrian Rimms into Albus Dumbledore's office and they found the professor sitting there conversing with the pictures in his office.  
  
"Ah Ms. Weasley, who is this you have brought with you?" Dumbledore asked with an uncharacteristic look of confusion. Ginny turned to the stranger as though enticing him to introduce himself.  
  
"My name is Adrian Rimms, and I bare news of grave importance" the gentlemen explained with light hand gestures.  
  
Dumbledore signaled for him to sit, and as Ginny turned to leave Dumbledore bade she wait. "Is it alright if Ms. Weasley stay here for this? She is quite trust worthy, allow me to assure you of that. I suspect I made need her to remain here as a witness, if indeed the news you carry is as imperative as you claim."  
  
Adrian nodded in agreement, and Ginny took a seat at Dumbledore's desk.  
  
Adrian cleared his throat and began to speak. "Around the time that Hogwarts was founded I was killed in a duel against Salazar Slytherin. I was friend of the noble Godric Gryffindor, and the matter concerning the duel is irrelevant. The important factor to all this is that I was killed."  
  
Ginny sat their with her mouth gapping wide open. "Did I just escort a complete nutter into the head master's office?" She wondered, but remained silent as the man continued.  
  
"After my death I was given a chance to avoid the mortal death and instead ascend to the House of the Heavens as a Sorcerer of the Stars. I became immortal, my mortal memories erased. Since that time I have obeyed the demands of the constellation Leo the Lion, going by the name Regulus Leo and not my mortal name Adrian Rimms. Until recent that is. I don't know what happened, but in November of last year my immortality was stolen from me. I regained every mortal memory in addition to retaining the memories from my immortal life."  
  
Silence lapsed before Dumbledore spoke. "During a recent mission Altair Aquilla notified me of your disappearance. They were looking to replace you in the House of the Heavens. Do you know the circumstances in which your immortality was stolen from you?"  
  
"All I know is that I was accomplishing a task in Knockturn Alley, a task sent to me by the stars. A hooded figure appartated in front of me, and in a flash I felt my immortality leave me. I looked no different, but immediately felt the difference. I was knocked out and re awoke three weeks later at St. Mungo's."  
  
Dumbledore formed a steeple with his fingers, staring off into nowhere.  
  
"Why would anyone want to steal your immortality?" Ginny interrupted, thoroughly baffled.  
  
"To take it for themselves" Dumbledore stated, concern etched across his features.  
  
"Do you think it was You- Know." just then Ginny was interrupted as and owl came swooping into the office.  
  
Dumbledore hastened to remove the letter from its leg, and quickly reading it, his face turned pale. "Yes Ginny, it appears to be quite clear that the thief of immortality was Voldemort."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The boat slowly churned down the Seine River, leaving a foaming passage on the black still water.  
  
Hermione had a metal device that looked like a phone pressed up to her ear and was listening to every description it gave of various landmarks on either side of the short length the tour traveled. She swallowed up the information greedily, while Chrome left his listening device unattended, instead leaning back in his chair and watching as the lighted buildings and streets passed them, mildly bored since he had never been able to appreciate such things. Perhaps if the boat passengers and given the opportunity to shoot at targets on the side of the river. he shook the pointless thought from his head and closed his eyes in relaxation.  
  
They had sent an owl off to Dumbledore regarding the Disc of Immortality and their concerns that Voldemort was after it. They then called a cab to take them about Paris and see some of the sights.  
  
The tour concluded at the beautifully lit Eiffel Tower, a breath taking marvel that reached up into the night sky.  
  
"To think that man kind was capable of creating such magnificence!" She breathed, enjoying the calming effects of the tour. "Oh, I do hope I can return here someday. Come back under. well, less stressful conditions."  
  
Chrome said nothing, and passed her by to walk over to a vendor who was selling blinking necklaces that rapidly changed colors. He eyed it for a moment and then paid the price being requested. Taking the annoying flashing piece of child's jewelry he turned of the switch that made it operate and returned to Hermione's side.  
  
"What did you buy that for?" She laughed.  
  
He shrugged holding it up to examine it. "Just to save. Maybe I'll find some use for it, who knows. I just like it." With a seldom seen grin he put the necklace in his pocket and they resumed walking to the Eiffel Tower.  
  
Just then Hermione jumped up as if she'd been burned.  
  
"What it is?" Chrome asked, looking about him for any sign of danger.  
  
Hermione stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out a coin. "I made these coins in my fifth year at Hogwarts as a way to notify other members of a secret club whenever we were having a meeting! I told Ginny to activate them so I would know if there was an emergency! Oh gods, what could be happening?!"  
  
She was losing her characteristic logic, a side effect of recent horrifying events. Her mind had immediately leaped to the worst possible conclusion, that Hogwarts was under attack.  
  
"We need to floo back to Hogwarts!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes watery and pleading.  
  
"Damn right we do!" Chrome agreed. "But wait. I can't. I'm you know, a Muggle. It won't work will it?"  
  
"I don't know!" Hermione cried out. She began to walk at a brisk pace, headed for the main street where she hoped to hail a cab, or at least the Knight Bus if nothing else.  
  
"The Knight Bus!" She suddenly exclaimed with excitement. "Of course, it can pop from location to location so quickly. probably even internationally! And you can take it too!"  
  
She grabbed a hold of her brother's arm and dragged him down a dark alleyway with her.  
  
"We need to be out of sight of muggles" she explained, seeing the utterly baffled expression on his face.  
  
"I just raise my wand and." Hermione stopped dead as a shadowy figure stepped out from the corner of the alleyway, followed by four others.  
  
"You vill never so far" said a man's voice in a sickly familiar French accent.  
  
"Jacques Farrier" Hermione whispered in fear.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny had quickly raced to her dorm room as soon as Dumbledore notified her of how much danger Hermione and Chrome could potentially be in. Voldemort had found the Disc of Immortality before the mission had even commenced, and with the stolen immortality of the old Regulus Leo, he had become immortal. Hermione and Chrome were potentially stumbling into a bees nest of Death Eaters, hot on her track and desperate to prevent her from spreading the news of their masters new strength.  
  
Ginny had unlocked a box on her beside table and activated the coin inside. "Hurry back guys, please hurry back."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The face of Hermione's attacker was shrouded, but she knew who he was. He had kidnapped her and was taking her to Voldemort when she was saved be Harry, who was under disguise at a Death Eater club. Had it not been for a miraculous reappearance of the long missing Harry Potter, Hermione would have been tortured and killed that night.  
  
After she came to the realization of who he was he began to laugh in a slow, mocking way. "If it isn't ze filthy little mud blood" he taunted walking slowly towards them, wand extended. He yawned lazily, " 'ow many times must I try to kill you? No matter, you're little scar headed boyfriend is dead now, 'e can't save you. Did you like ze way my master strung 'im up in Diagon Alley?"  
  
Hermione felt a black emptiness creep up on her, filling her with that never ceasing despair that was just an inch away from resurfacing. She fought it down, and instead found a growing bitter hatred, a resentment that filled her with a blinding fury.  
  
"Why don't you shut yer feckin mouth?!" Chrome growled, looking ready to pounce, his Irish accent pouring out in his fury.  
  
"Already find a new boyfriend?" Farrier asked, making a tsking noise as he wagged a finger at her.  
  
"I have a message for your master" Hermione said, her voice icy and even. "His time, not Dumbledores time, is up. Bladise entrias." With that, Farrier crumbled to a still heap on the ground. Taking her cue, Chrome sprung into action, moving faster than the blink of an eye in twisting the wand baring arms of two Death Eaters, their wands breaking with sickening cracks and the wands falling to the ground. Hermione petrified on attacker and stupefied the other, her combat experience far superior to theirs. In less than a minute only Chrome and Hermione were left standing.  
  
Chrome spit on Farrier and kicked him hard in the ribs. "Did you kill him?"  
  
Hermione shook her head. "The spell makes him think he's been stabbed through the center and killed, but its and illusion. He should wake up in another few hours."  
  
"What a shame" Chrome said with heartfelt sorrow. "What do we do with them now? We have no Port Keys to transport them off to prison."  
  
"I remember an imposter teacher at Hogwarts once transfiguring a student into a ferret. I should be able to change them into something smaller and more portable like that. Any preferences?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny was pacing nervously inside her dorm, much to the chagrin of her roommates. She didn't know what had happened to Hermione and Chrome, but they still hadn't arrived. She peered out the window and onto Hogwarts grounds.  
  
She could barely make out the lake and the forest, never mind see if anything was occurring outside. She looked further downwards to where torches lit a small portion of the grounds by the exterior walls of the castle. She let out a yip of excitement as she spotted Hermione and Chrome entering the school.  
  
She ran from her dorm and fled down the many flights of stairs, only to collide head on with Ron.  
  
"Any word from them yet?" Ron asked, his features pleading. He had recently ben notified of the circumstances along with the rest of the Order.  
  
"I just saw them entering the building! I was going to see if they're okay before I crashed into you you big dope!"  
  
"You were going to see if who's okay?" asked a familiar female voice.  
  
"Oh Hermione! We were so concerned you'd been attacked or." Ginny stopped talking as she embraced her sister like friend in a hug. They parted so that Ron could hug her, and the two best friends quickly began to talk, leaving Ginny and Chrome out in the cold.  
  
"Um. Chrome, why are you holding five sleeping poodles?" Ginny asked, looking at the tall brunette, who was indeed carrying five little sleeping poodles.  
  
All he said was, "they aren't just any poodles, they're French poodles!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"It's funny how silence speaks Sometimes when you're alone." -Creed  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After the "French poodles" which were actually the unconscious Death Eaters were incarcerated and Hermione and Chrome were briefed on the occurrences regarding Adrian Rimms, the four sat in the kitchen as the house elves prepared some food, warming up by the fire.  
  
"Well, I guess tonight's ancient magic lessons were canceled" Hermione said glumly, knowing there'd be far too much work happening in regards to the Disc of Immortality to even think about the lessons.  
  
"I just can't believe You- Know- Who is immortal" Ron whispered, bringing up goose bumps from all four of them.  
  
Hermione snapped up straight as though realizing something. "He was immortal when Harry faced him in the mission."  
  
"Oh gods" Ginny whispered, realizing the implications.  
  
"Harry didn't stand a chance." All four sat in their separate globes of sadness, barely noticing when the food arrived.  
  
((Thanks again reviewers- please be sure to keep the good work up!!!))  
  
Merlana: Thank you for your encouragement, and I'm especially pleased that you think the characters are realistic- that's one of my highest priorities when I write. I feel very flattered by your praise, and I thank you for reading the first part to this story. I hope you'll find this one is an improvement from the last.  
  
Siriuslyobsessed: Yes, tendency, not tenancy. hehe stupid sound a likes. I guess that's what I get for not checking over my work. I'm glad you liked the chapter. I think this chapter had some breaks from the angst also- though it kinda plummeted back in at the end of the chapter. I think I've finally gotten the plot really rolling, though it'll pick up even more speed next chapter. Thanks for your reviews!!  
  
Dreamsweeper: Yes, Flogging Molly is an awesome band, especially Drunken Lullabies. I'm glad there's another fan out there!  
  
Mabelmione: So, did this chapter fulfill your suspicions? I think more answers will come next chapter. Thanks for your praise of my fic, it's very inspiring. As I'm thinking of the plot it seems that it will take much longer than the last to fulfill all parts I need to cover, so yes, this one should be longer. I'm glad you're happy about that.  
  
padfoot-prongs-and-moony-rox: Wow, you have quite the pen name. So, did you like this chapter? Your suspicions about the picture being the disc were correct, good reading!  
  
Szcihuoko: Yep, the picture was of the disc. As for Harry meeting Hermione. no comment.  
  
Ears91: Nice to get a review from you again, I'm always pleased to get feed back from you. Thanks. 


	6. Return

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
((As a gift of apology for my delay in updating, I have turned chapter 6, which originally ended in a cliff hanger into a longer chapter that combines chapters 6 and 7. I hope you all enjoy it. Thank- you.))  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions. Whatever I see I swallow immediately just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike."  
  
-Sylvia Plath "Mirror" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Two week of intense training passed for Order members. They began to gain a general grasp of ancient magic, and the more advanced members could already perform an ancient stunning spell, though it required their wands. It was improbable that they would ever gain the ability to perform wandless magic as Harry and Dumbledore did. Such magic required years of focused practice. To master ancient magic meant at least three years of rigid training. It was a commitment that took every second of those three years, and something few had the time or willingness to do.  
  
After a day of intense preparations against the impending attacks, which sat in the air like an intoxicating stench, Ron was exhausted and weary. He hoped a hot shower would wash his aches and pains away, and clear his foggy mind.  
  
Stepping out of the shower he wrapped a towel around him, water streaming out of his short red hair and down his freckled face. He used his hand to wipe the mirror clear, and gazed into the reflection of his own eyes. The blood shot brown eyes looked ancient and tired, the eyes of one who had seen to much. He did not recognize his own face, once so youthful and friendly, the face of a boy with two great friends and a loving family. A boy who cared mostly about Quidditch and Chocolate Frog Cards. He sighed and wished the mirror would fog up again.  
  
Dressing in a pair of loose blue jeans and an orange Chudley Cannons shirt, Ron began brush his hair when he heard a knock at his door. Tossing the comb haphazardly on the sink table, he walked to the door and pulled it open to see Hermione standing there.  
  
"Hey Hermione" he said with a little grin, opening the door. She gave him a weak but heartfelt smile in return and entering his small Hogwarts room.  
  
"Ron, it's freezing in here!" She exclaimed, heading to the fire grate to start a fire to warm the room.  
  
"Oh, I was just in the shower. It was warm in there so I didn't really notice."  
  
"Oh" Hermione responded, sitting on a small plush chair he had put in front of it. She began to stare into the flames, mesmerized with her own thoughts.  
  
"Did you come for something?" He finally asked, retrieving the comb from the sink as he recommenced the combing of his hair.  
  
"Yes!" Hermione suddenly shouted, jumping a bit as she was roused from her day dreaming. "It's about those comm. links we started discussing with the Order a few days ago. I've spent the last few nights designing them, and I have them all set for the Order."  
  
"Run that by me again? I think I was sleeping when they discussed that."  
  
Hermione snorted "you're always sleeping during Order meetings Ron."  
  
Ron merely shrugged, proceeding to scavenge for socks in an enormous heap of dirty clothes he had piled in the corner of his room.  
  
Hermione inhaled deeply. "Ron, the comm. link is so that all Order members can communicate at rapid speed during battle. Every one in the Order will have one, and they can call whoever they want by speaking their name at the device." Hermione opened a small bag she had been carrying and pulled out gold pin in the shape of a phoenix. "You see, you say the name and then proceed to speak into the device like a Muggle walkie talkie. You can here what they say through it as well."  
  
"Talkie walkie? What's that? Aren't these pins something like Muggle fellytones?"  
  
Hermione couldn't help but laugh at this. "Never mind Ron. Do you understand how it works?"  
  
Ron nodded eagerly, reaching out to get one of the pins. He played with it for a moment. "These things are pretty bloody awesome!" He announced, placing his pin in a small wooden box at his bedside table.  
  
"Glad you think so" Hermione said with a grin, kissing Ron on the cheek before turning to leave. Soon she was out the door and Ron was alone again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We know Voldemort has the Disc of Immortality, and we know we must take it from him" Albus Dumbledore declared to Adrian Rimms, who was seated patiently at Dumbledore's desk. "Once we get the Disc we can take Voldemort's immortality from him. Getting it from him will be the hard part."  
  
"But what of my immortality?" Adrian asked, dismay in his eyes for the first time. "I have experienced ever lasting life. As an immortal there were pains of aging. I felt no cold nor pain. I had inner peace, I had achieved all powerful status! How can I return to the mortal life after that?"  
  
Dumbledore looked sadly upon him. "I fear there is nothing to be done about that. You cannot return to the House of the Heavens. You will have been replaced by now."  
  
Adrian stood up quickly with anger etched in his features. "Than what do I have to fight for? Let this evil lord keep his treasure! It does not concern me!"  
  
"As long as you live on this planet, it will concern you. Can't you see, he will not rest until he has conquered everything!" Hermione exclaimed from the shadowy corner she had been sitting with. The three had been discussing the Disc of Immortality, and the conversation's drastic change to anger brought a sudden level of tension to the atmosphere.  
  
"If nothing more, think of what he has taken from you" Dumbledore said to Adrian in a soothing tone. "He is the one who took your immortality. Even though you cannot take your immortality back, you can still take his. We need you help, your power. With you and I together. maybe, just maybe we can remove Voldemort from power."  
  
Hermione turned back into the shadows. Not for a moment did she feel this was possible. Harry and Dumbledore had been unable, and Adrian and Dumbledore would be no more capable. She felt bitter tears sting her eyes as she bit back her argument, knowing nothing good could come of it. Someone would have to try to face Voldemort, they could not fall to him without giving it all they had.  
  
The conversation soon returned to a state of calm as Adrian agreed and the details of the plan began to formulate. The first factor seemed nearly impossible: locating Voldemort.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Regulus Leo knew who had the Disc of Immortality. It was a man whose mortal name was Tom Riddle, but who was better known as Voldemort. Powerful with ancient magic and bent on world domination. Regulus knew the task of obtaining the disc would be difficult, and he went to stars to ask for guidance.  
  
"Look to the phoenix for assistance. Look to heart of darkness for the keeper of the disc." They told him. He began his quest for the phoenix.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione's eyes shot wide open. Her room was dark and the blackness surrounded her like an oppressing blanket. From the recesses of the blackness a voice yelled out.  
  
"IS ANYONE OUT THERE?! HELLO? THIS IS TONKS!"  
  
Hermione shot out of bed and looked about wildly, realizing that the voice was permeating from the Phoenix pin she had charmed and distributed earlier that day. She fumbled into the dark corner of the bedroom, stubbing her toe and her mind swirling with pain and panic as she tried to track down the noise.  
  
"Does this damn thing even work?" She heard Tonks say, and just a moment later she had her hand grasped around the pin.  
  
"Tonks, this is Hermione, I hear you, what's going on?"  
  
"Oh shit Hermione, get Dumbledore fast! The Death Eaters are attacking Muggles!"  
  
"Where?!" Hermione gasped.  
  
"Dumbledore will know! I was out on Auror business and this massacre just exploded out of nowhere!"  
  
"Massacre?" Hermione wondered with fear. Jumping up to her feet she raced for Dumbledore's office, the pin in her hand.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione threw the doors to Dumbledore's office open to such a violent aggression that they slammed against the wall.  
  
The sleepy eyed Head Master was wearing a long purple bathrobe as he entered the room from a door towards the back of the office.  
  
"What is it Miss Granger?" He asked in a concerned tone.  
  
Hermione quickly summed up what she knew in a hurried and panicked tone.  
  
Dumbledore's eyes grew wide, and then an air of power over took his demeanor. His eyes lost their twinkle and instead gleamed with anger a power.  
  
"Immediate action is in order. It seems that now is the only time Adrian and I shall have to go after Voldemort. It is far earlier than I had hoped. No matter. Go wake the other Order members, tell them to prepare for battle. I shall send Fawkes to round up our other allies. I fear this may be the final battle, for better or worse."  
  
Silence sunk into the room and neither spoke. The dark shadows of the cold stone chamber grew more prominent, and the weak flames of the fire only served to create weak shadows about the room. "It is just far too early." Dumbledore said with the nearest to despair Hermione had ever heard him utter.  
  
Unable to stand it she fled and ran to awake the Order members. With every echoing step she took she heard Dumbledore's voice in her head.  
  
"This may be the final battle."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Order members crowded into the hall with other allies ranging from Dean Thomas to older witches and wizards whom Ron did not recognize. Ron had been awoken by a pounding on his door that now seemed to echo in his head. He rubbed his temples and closed his brown eyes.  
  
"Don't look so discouraged already Ron, we haven't even left yet." Said a weak teasing voice that Ron realized was Cho's. He opened his eyes to see her looking apprehensive. He knew she looked to him for comfort, Cho had always been like that- looking to others to soothe her fears. That was one of the most prominent features that had originally attracted him to her, though at the time he wouldn't admit it. He liked to be and hero, the comforter. Now he wasn't sure he had the heart for it. Yet looking at her, fighting back her tears of uncertainty, he felt the strong urge to comfort her, and he did, wrapping his arms around her. It felt familiar and right, and he suddenly forgot why he had been running from his love for her in the first place.  
  
As he held her he looked about to see another group of people enter the room, looking set for battle. More and more kept coming, but Ron had no way of knowing if it would be enough.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Regulus Leo walked through a dark forest. The trees were pale ghostly figures against the stormy night sky, the yellow moon just scarcely peering out from behind broken clouds. The frozen ground did not crunch beneath his feet as he walked lightly with a smooth and elegant manner. He carried a perfect posture, even as he marched though the woods.  
  
Tilting his head back to the dark and dreary night, the drizzle of an approaching rain storm wet his hair and dampened his face. He did not know where to find the phoenix, and he walked the forest in search of a centaur who may provide him with a glimpse of information.  
  
Suddenly, a bright whiz off fire streaked across the stormy night. His eyes narrowed upon the target, his perfect sight immediately translating the identity of the object. With a rare smile that nearly represented a smirk he summoned a broomstick and kicked off into the wake of the creature.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny strode into the Great Hall, clothed in a black knit sweater and black jeans. It had been suggested to her by Ron long ago that black clothing was the best in nighttime battle situations, as it could camouflage her from attackers. She gripped tightly onto her wand, and bit her lip in concern as she searched about for Dean. "Oh please don't say he skipped out" she mentally begged, knowing that he hadn't been making it to many of the training sessions and hoping he'd realized the importance of this mission.  
  
Much to her relief she spotted Dean talking with Pavarti, Cho and Ron.  
  
"Cho and Ron?" Ginny wondered. "I thought he was trying to avoid her."  
  
Noticing that the two were holding hands she was only further baffled. She was going to join them to speak when she felt a hand tap her on the shoulder. Ginny turned around to see Hermione who was looking stern and determined.  
  
"I wanted to let you know everyone will be working in the same units as last time, except that we have some additional people in each unit." Hermione then proceeded to explain the details and strategies of each group, something which Ginny suspected was more for Hermione's purposes of straightening out her own thoughts than for Ginny to listen. Ginny tried to listen however, and soon found she had a headache from all the details.  
  
Chrome had come up behind Hermione and noticing that his sister was rambling he shook his head and gave Ginny a little wink that caused her to laugh a bit. Hermione didn't notice and continued with details about the attack location. Chrome slipped by the two of them and while passing Ginny he pushed a flask into her hands and whispered, "I'll come retrieve it when she's done talking."  
  
Ginny held back her laughter after he'd passed, and discreetly took a drink while Hermione wasn't looking.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dumbledore gazed down onto the gray stone floor of his office. Adrian Rimms was preparing to join him, and now he sat alone with his thoughts. He felt old and pained, never had he felt so worn, so lost. He did not know that there was any hope left. They would be outnumbered, he would send children to their deaths. A cold tear trickled down his cheek. He heard the peaceful singing of Fawkes suddenly fill the room. He straightened as the melody filled him with some unfounded hope, and brushing off his robes he stood to his full height, the dangerous gleam in his eye of the most powerful wizard ever still present.  
  
Fawkes lit the room in his fiery splendor, and then positioned himself on his perch. Something shifted in the shadows. The fire suddenly crackled in the great and then flared up in a great roar. The light pushed further and further into the shadows until the last corner was ridden of its shroud.  
  
And there stood the last person Albus Dumbledore would ever have expected to see.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Rough wind, that moanest loud  
  
Grief too sad for song;  
  
Wild wind, when sullen cloud  
  
Knells all the night long;  
  
Sad storm, whose tears are vain,  
  
Bare woods, whose branches strain,  
  
Deep caves and dreary main, -  
  
Wail, for the world's wrong!"  
  
-Percy Bysshe Shelley, Dirge ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Harry." Dumbledore gasped. But it was not the Harry he had known.  
  
This Harry had the poise of a king, a royal sort of air that set him apart from his past uncertain self. His eyes were still emerald, but they now had the glint of such power that even a fool could not mistake him for a common person. Harry's hair was still messy, but in such a way that he seemed to have arranged it, it looked blacker than ever, but soft and almost perfect. He wore no glasses. His expression was stern and serious. His complexion was perfect, he looked stronger, and Dumbledore immediately knew who he was.  
  
"Regulus Leo" Dumbledore muttered, and Harry inclined his head in greeting.  
  
Dumbledore had met various Sorcerers of the Stars throughout his long and amazing life, and the feel of them, their mood and movements were quickly recognizable, and Dumbledore quickly solved the mystery of Harry's miraculous revival from death. After he had been killed, he was taken into the House of the Heavens. He filled Regulus Leo's spot. He was now immortal.  
  
"I am here to find the Disc of Immortality." Harry said. His voice was so familiar that it tore at Dumbledore's heart to see his beloved student so near and yet so distant. Could he truly pretend as though he did not recognize the boy that he considered to be like a grand child to him?  
  
Dumbledore swallowed hard to release the ball of tension forming in his throat. "Yes, the Disc of Imortality. It is in the possession of the dark lord Voldemort. Are you familiar with the name?"  
  
Dumbledore could have laughed at the irony of the situation had it not been so sad. There he stood, asking Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived if he had ever heard of Voldemort. Harry Potter who had faced the dark lord more times than any other witch or wizard. Harry Potter who lost his parents, god father and childhood to the dark lord. Harry Potter who had been murdered by the dark lord. But he was not Harry Potter any more. Just like every other member brought into the House of the Heavens, Harry's memory had been wiped, every past obligation taken from him so that he may be harnessed with new responsibilities- those of the constellation Leo. "Yet his scar remains" Dumbledore noted with mild surprise. The scar that followed him in life must follow him even in death.  
  
"I do know of Voldemort." Harry said, awakening Dumbledore from his thoughts. "I have read extensively about the rise of Tom Riddle. I am aware he stole the Disc from the House of the Heavens, though I do not know how. He took the immortality of the past Regulus Leo for himself. The stars have commanded for me to reclaim a item."  
  
Dumbledore's eyes sparkled suddenly as he realized the implications of having Harry joining them on their mission. Their odds were drastically improving.  
  
"The dark lord is currently in attack. We were about to face him and his forces. Come with us if you wish to find him."  
  
Harry's eyes grew dark and he nodded. Regulus Leo would finally fulfill the mission sent to him by the stars.  
  
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Hermione was growing restless as she stood by Ron's side. So much had happened in so short a time. Could they possibly complete the task at hand? No, it was surely a suicide mission and Hermione knew it. But what else could they do? Hide while Voldemort killed helpless and innocent Muggles? She shook her head, and felt a shiver of panic creep up her spine. She looked down quickly to the ring on her finger and looked away once more. "He is not with me" She thought with angry certainty.  
  
Suddenly Dumbledore opened the door to the Great Hall. He caught eye contact with her as the hall went silent. In his eyes she expected to see sorrow and pain, but instead their was a torch of hope burning. And then there was something else. something she could not interpret. Dumbledore knew something, she could tell. He gave her a brief nod and then turned to leave. It was time to head out on the mission.  
  
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It was still nighttime in the small village where they arrived. Rain fell from the sky, flooding the earth and creating such mud that walking proved nearly impossible. A strong bolt of lightening filled the sky.  
  
A screaming wind ripped across the muddy roads, tearing into the skin of the newly arrived Order members along with their fighting forces. Fire scorched the horizon, battling the pelting rain. The Dark Mark loomed in the sky. Screams of terror could be heard in the distance.  
  
Hermione nodded at Ron, who was pulling his robes closer about his to deflect the bone gnawing cold that seeped in at them. Ron turned to the masses about them and began to bark out commands, dispersing people out into the battle. Hermione watched as brave witches and wizards ran off into the black horizon, following the shouts of the innocent. She knew they may never be able to turn back.  
  
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In the midst of the chaos stood an old man with a white beard, a middle aged gentleman with exquisite black robes and a young man who seemed to remain unaffected by all which surrounded him.  
  
Albus Dumbledore, Adrian Rimms, and Regulus Leo (or Harry Potter) had arrived at the scene of the Muggle attacks. Death filled the air like a heavy and inescapable odor. The rain drove at them, slanted by the wind. Leo appeared unaffected, the water soaking plastering his black hair to his head and dribbling down his handsome features.  
  
Beside them a house crumbled to the ground in a pile of fire and ash, spitting embers up into the damp night, only to be quickly extinguished.  
  
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Ears91: Good speculation as to what's going to happen, I won't say anything more. I'm glad you like the plot twists, I think they show that I actually put some planning into this fic (unlike its predecessor ;) ). Thank you for taking the time to review.  
  
Siriuslyobsessed: I finally put up a new chapter! Incredible huh, it took me a while, and to think its been sitting on my computer written the whole. If only I weren't so lazy. Oh well, I could be worse things. Hehe. Thank you for your detailed review last chapter, you always do a good reading of whatever it is I come out with and your reviews are very helpful. Next chapter- violence, injuries and other cool stuff! (fun too write)  
  
Szihuoko: Lol, thanks for your enthusiasm, I think this chapter may have answered some questions. or maybe created more. I'm not sure which. The real climax hasn't occurred yet though, it gets more exciting in following chapters (I think). I hope you keep reading for them.  
  
Mabelmione: Thank you for your support and loyal reviewing. I hope you found this chapter interesting. more fun is soon to come, as I'm sure you can tell, much needs to be resolved.  
  
PadfootProngs&Moony: What a long pen name! But what an awesome review! It truly made my day, I'm glad you liked the fic so much. rather astonished really, and I'm glad someone suggested it to you. I'm always pleased when someone tells me my fic made them cry (as long as it isn't from boredom), because I feel as though it is a very big accomplishment (though it may be cruel to say). I'm also very pleased that you liked the romance parts because those are rather difficult for me. Action and violence comes naturally to me, but romance I have to work at, but I still feel is a very important aspect. Thank you again.  
  
Harrys girl5: I'm very happy that you love my fic. Encouragement like yours is very needed, especially since, between you and I, I was thinking about stopping. So I thank you again. 


	7. Of Immortality and Fire

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
((Alright, the feed back for last chapter was great, please keep it up! In response I'd like to present to you my new chapter which I have updated quickly out of gratitude. Action, angst and even a bit of romance up ahead. Advance at your own peril.))  
  
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"The fearless are merely fearless. People who act in spite of their fear are truly brave."  
  
-James A. LaFond-Lewis, November 11, 1999  
  
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Everyone in the mission seemed to have scattered apart from one another. It was eerie being in the middle of the battlefield alone, and Ron wished desperately to run into a familiar ally. well one that was alive at any rate. So far he'd stumbled across one stunned, one badly wounded, and one dead. He portkeyed them back to Hogwarts, but he knew the caulties were mounting. He developed the radical and utterly desperate theory that everyone had died or been injured but him, and he was alone in the midst of the storm and flames.  
  
A dark shadow flickered behind the burning ruins of a building and Ron strained to see if it was friend, foe, or just a shadow. The image flicked past a tree a little ways off and Ron identified the felon as a Death Eater. The smog of the grounded smoke and the late night fog blurred his vision, and he scarcely had time to react before killing curse went whizzing by him. Ron level his wand and sent a forceful stunning spell in the direction of his opponent. The spell hit a tree, sending an explosion of splinters into the air. Ron lost sight of the Death Eater, and slowly proceeded towards the forest where he had last spotted him.  
  
Another spell flew out from behind a boulder, and Ron jumped up, letting the ill aimed flash of light pass under his feet. Ron shook the rain from his damp red hair and watched as his nervous and erratic breathes came out as white puffs. Ron took aim once more, and with a strong Wingardium Leviosa he lifted the boulder and let it drop to the side. In rapid sequence he fired stunning spells until the Death Eater fell to the ground.  
  
With a horse sound that was the cross between a cry and a cheer Ron fell to his knees. He wasn't even sure where he was at the moment. Screams still filled the air. Cold rain stung his pale white skin, trickling down his body and leaving goose bumps in their wake.  
  
"Ron!" A familiar voice awoke him from his slow decay into the soaked forest floor.  
  
Ron looked up to see his best friend Hermione Granger standing off in the distance. A green tint at the end of her wand lit her features, and he could see her deep brown eyes filled with such a slur of fiery emotions that one ran into an another until only a brilliant and indiscernible glint remained. Her brown hair was nearly black in its wetness, and a stray strand stuck to her face. She called his name again and he rose up from the mud. She ran to him, and quickly embraced him before looking his square in the eyes.  
  
"Ron, they've been transporting prisoners off to who knows where. mostly muggles, but they've also got a few of our people. They're rounding up another herd. everyone who fights is being slaughtered. We need to try to stop them!" Raw emotion caught her voice in her throat, and all Ron could do was nod.  
  
A roaring scream filled the air unlike anything Ron had ever heard. but then when he dug back into his rugged and disassembled memory, there was something familiar about the scream. It sounded again, high pitched and ground shaking. "That's a dragon!" Ron suddenly proclaimed, and as he tilted his eyes up to the sky to look the magnificent beast passed overhead at low altitude. Ron grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled him to the ground beside him. Water and mud splattered up from the saturated ground as they fell, falling into Ron's mouth and irritating his eyes. He looked up as the silver belly of the dragon passed over his head, its shrill cry filling the night air once more.  
  
"They're all over!" Hermione yelled over the noise. "Voldemort seems to have an army of them at his service. they've been burning and destroying the area." Her voice broke and her eyes filled with terror. "I saw them picking people up and they ran away. they pulled them into their talons and killed them."  
  
Ron took a strong hold of her arm to comfort her, and pulled her up to her feet as he stood. "We need to hope something happens soon. dragons and Death Eaters galore. we don't have the man power to fight back this sort of thing."  
  
"You missed another important element." Hermione said with a tone of desperation.  
  
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In another battle torn section of the village Chrome ran through glass and other debris trying to find another member of the Order. Where he was it was so silent, only the sound of falling rain and wind filled the air, accompanied by the occasional crash of thunder. A cut below his eye bled and mixed with the water that streamed down his face. The mud of the streets sucked at his boots and he struggled to make progress walking in some spots.  
  
He wiped at his eyes to displace the blinding rain, and looked to see a figure move in the distance. He ducked low behind a charred mass of wood and slowly followed the person. At closer examination he recognized the person to be Ginny Weasley, looking plae and lost, her bright red hair now dark with the rain. She held her wand nervously before her.  
  
"Ginny!" He called out, running to her side.  
  
She jumped in fear it the sound of another being near her. It had been so quiet for so long she could hear her very heart pounding. The sudden appearance of another got her heart racing, and she nearly cried with joy when she realized it was Chrome and not an enemy.  
  
In her ecstasy she threw her arms around him in a tight hug, immediately feeling safer at the presence of another.  
  
"Have you seen the others?" Chrome breathed, and Ginny shook her head no. Chrome sighed heavily. "Well, let's look for the then."  
  
The two set off through the ruins that lay strewn on the ground, silence permeating as they walked. Chrome let his senses become attuned to the world around him. He listened for the sound of water droplets falling to the ground, the overbearing rumble of thunder, the squishing of their boots in the rain. And then there was a different noise. A ticking.  
  
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"What do you mean another element?" Ron asked, fear causing a slight squeak in his voice. "I mean, is there something other than Death Eaters and Dragons I should be on the watch for?"  
  
Hermione nodded. "Dementors" she whispered.  
  
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"Only a brave person is willing to honestly admit, and fearlessly to face, what a sincere and logical mind discovers."  
  
-Rodan of Alexandria  
  
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In another section altogether Regulus Leo tuned his immortal senses to his surrounding. Screaming children passed but he ignored them. He wanted to hear only one sound, and he listened carefully for it.  
  
A low hissing filled his ears like a whisper. Parsletounge. He heard it and nodded in satisfaction. "Surrender the Disc Voldemort" he hissed in parsletounge, something he was not aware of being odd in any sense.  
  
Leo turned back to Dumbledore and Adrian Rimms. "Stay here" he commanded with a steely sureness in his voice. "I will follow his voice and find him. You can do nothing more to help me."  
  
Dumbledore wanted to argue with the boy he recognized as Harry, but the man who was Regulus Leo was too powerful and determined. He turned and quickly disappeared.  
  
Dumbledore stroked his beard. "Well then, if we cannot follow him to Voldemort., let us see what we can do to help the other members of this battle."  
  
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The ticking was soft but Chrome's ears picked up the sound. He knew what it was, and he reacted as quickly as he could, but he was slightly too late. As he grabbed Ginny and dived too the ground the bomb exploded, littering glass, metal and other debris. Something caught him in the side and sent a jarring pain up that half of his body. Laying in the mud he first looked to see how Ginny faired before considering his own injury. Ginny wasn't moving and he quickly analyze her wound to see that she had been struck hard in the head by something. Blood trickled down her pale face, and instantly forgetting his own injury he reached up to her neck to check for a pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found one and pushed back her hair to examine the wound. It was bad, and he knew she needed medical attention immediately. He stood up and felt the pain once more as a reminder of his injury. He looked down to see blood soaking through his jacket and mixing with the rain that had previously saturated the fabric. His jacket wash slashed open, and a large piece of glass with buried into his flesh. He clenched his teeth and pulled the glass out.  
  
He swore at the bloodied fragment and then threw it away. He groaned in pain as he bent over to lift up Ginny. He put his arms around her and then pulled he close to him, positioned her head so it rested on his shoulder. "If we hadn't jumped right then we would have been killed" Chrome thought, walking with Ginny in his arms. He thought of her large family and how hard it would have been to lose their only daughter. He just hoped he could get her to medical help before that did happen.  
  
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As though the Dementors could hear her, the air suddenly grew cold with their presence.  
  
"Oh shit" Hermione mumbled, moving closer to Ron. They drew their wands.  
  
Suddenly Ron was laughing a sad twisted little chuckle.  
  
Hermione glared at him, unsure how he could be laughing. His eyes showed only despair and suffering, and the cold wind blew the rain diagonally at them as she tried to understand what was so funny to him.  
  
It was an eerie and surreal moment. Ron was dripping wet and shaking from head to toe. His skin was pale. In the distance the Dementors approached ever closer. Blue lightening crashed in the heavens lighting the area with a strobe like effect, making everything seem even stranger.  
  
"Conjure a happy thought Hermione!" Her laughed, and Hermione realized how stupid and sick the whole thing was. Conjure a happy thought. They were in a storm, covered in mud, surrounded by Dementors, in the midst of a devastatingly hopeless battle, and smiles had been so rare for so long that happiness seemed virtually nonexistent. It was almost humorous, being forced to conjure a happy thought in spite of all that.  
  
Hermione grabbed Ron's hand tightly. It was cold and unresponsive. "We must try Ron! We must!"  
  
Hermione closed her eyes and tried to think of a time when she was happy.  
  
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"His priority did not seem to be to teach them what he knew, but rather to impress upon them that nothing, not even... knowledge, was foolproof."  
  
J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix  
  
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Leo was in the process of climbing a muddy banking when he heard the hissing again. He turned to the noise, and called out for the Disc once more.  
  
"How is it you speak Parsletounge stranger?" The voice hissed, indicating that it was closer this time.  
  
"I do not know. That is irrelevant Lord Voldemort. Give me the Disc, and you will not suffer at my hands."  
  
A cruel mocking laughter came, this time echoing from the top of the hill. "I will never hand the Disc of Immortality over to you."  
  
Leo said nothing, and merely climbed the hill closer to the voice. When he reached the top the trees suddenly stopped and the ruined columns of an ancient temple stood before him. The rain was ceasing, and only the light pitter patter of rain fell on the destroyed marble which surrounded him.  
  
The clouds were breaking and the yellow moon came back out from behind the clouds. A last rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, and the shadowy figures of the columns came into a sharper contrast.  
  
Lord Voldemort rose up from the set of stairs, his black robes fluttering in the breeze of the passing storm. "Who are you?" The dark lord hissed, his face shrouded by his black hood.  
  
"Regulus Leo. I am here to claim that which belongs in the House of the Heavens." Leo raised his hand to launch a spell.  
  
Voldemort walked increasingly closer, neither speaking nor attacking. He kept walking until they stood ten feet apart, the yellow moonlight shining down onto them and scattering across the ancient marble floor.  
  
"It can't be." Voldemort suddenly spat.  
  
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Chrome was elated when he heard other voices up ahead. He quickly placed one as that of Albus Dumbledore, and Chrome picked up his pace to run despite the pain that now sent jolts of pain from head to foot with every step.  
  
"Dumbeldore!" He called out upon seeing the old man.  
  
Dumbledore turned to see the bloody and fatigued Chrome approach him. With alarm Dumbledore noted that Chrome was carrying the limp form of Ginny Weasley in his arms.  
  
"What happened?" Dumbledore asked in an even but demanding tone.  
  
"It was an explosion. She's still alive- but she took a hard hit to the head."  
  
Dumbeldore nodded and took a quick look at Ginny'y injury. "This is beyond my degree of healing, and she will need rest. Take her to Madame Pomfrey with this portkey."  
  
Dumbledore handed the portkey to Chrome who hesitantly accepted. "I can still fight. Isn't there someone else who can take here? Or, could we send her by herself?"  
  
"Her condition is too serious to risk a solo passage by portkey" Dumbledore patiently explained. "And at the time, you seem the best candidate to take her, especially with your own injuries."  
  
Chrome nodded, his face betraying no emotion regarding the matter. Dumbledore activated the portkey, and Chrome and Ginny dispeared.  
  
Dumbledore walked with long fast strides and quickly caught up with Adrain Rimms who had just downed a number of Death Eaters with powerful ancient magic.  
  
"Round up every ally we pass. We are headed for a bridge further down the street. Most of the Death Eaters seem to be retreating in that direction with their prisoners. We may be able to pick some of them off."  
  
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Hermione closed her eyes as the darkness and cold intensified around her. She tried to remember the happy sensation of receiving her Hogwarts letter, but that was so long ago it had fled her. She could no longer remember the joy of saving the Sorcerers Stone, being named prefect, or even being named head girl- though it had only been less than two years prior. The joy of finding Harry alive was accompanied by the pain of his death. Yet then were the happier moments they had shared in between. Moments of she had shoved away with the feeling that they were memories that could only instigate tears for all she'd lost. Yet she suddenly saw them for what they were- moments of happiness.  
  
Memories of kisses they'd shared, jokes they'd laughed at and moments they'd just been together- lying about, sitting till, maybe even walking, but just moments they were together. Times like those she felt safer and happier than any other moments in her life.  
  
She extended her wand and cast the spell that she had practiced many a time in Dumbledore's Army before Harry had run away that fateful summer.  
  
Out came the silvery spell, but with her eyes clamped shut she did not see it. She did not even know it had worked until some of the warmth in her cold body had returned.  
  
She jumped up to her feet, and this time was the one pulling Ron up. He looked confused and disoriented and she laughed a little kissing his cheek. "It's okay now Ron."  
  
With that they began to run in the direction they heard the most noise.  
  
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"You died. I killed you." Voldemort stuttered, confused. "HOW MANY TIMES MUST I KILL YOU BOY?!"  
  
Leo said nothing. He extended his arm and blasted the unsuspecting Voldemort with such a strong curse that he flew backwards and hit the dirty marble floor.  
  
"Hand over the Disc. This is your last warning."  
  
"Before what? I cannot be defeated- I am immortal!" Voldemorts red eyes were blazing as he rose to his feet, anger seething from the evil shadow of a man.  
  
"As am I." Leo responded.  
  
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Molly Weasley was nursing a broken leg she had gotten while out on the battlefield, but that didn't stop her from helping around the ward. Afterall, Madame Pomfrey could mend bones so quickly that the whole experience had only left Mrs. Weasley slightly fatigued, and that was not nearly enough to stop her from helping. She was about to bring the severely injured Nymphadora Tonks a replenishing potion when Chrome Granger kicked open the infirmary doors, the limp form of Ginny Weasley in his arms.  
  
Mrs. Weasley let out a panicked shriek and rushed to her daughter. Madame Pomfrey was quickly there as well and guided Chrome to a table to lay Ginny down on a bed.  
  
Mrs. Weasley had tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked at the injured form of her youngest child and only daughter. Suddenly Ginny to move ever so slightly and a pained moan escaped her lips. Chrome had just finished placing her on the bed, slowly and gently resting her head on the pillow. Ginny grabbed at his arm as he stepped away from the bed, and succeeded in grasping part of the fabric on his jacket.  
  
"You're alright" he said in a tone that was not exactly soothing but more flat. Nurturing was not in his personality, but if Mrs. Weasley wasn't mistaken she did see caring, something she was quite sure hadn't been there when she'd first met the infamous Chrome Granger. Mrs. Weasley took Ginny's hand from Chrome's sleeve, grasping it in her own. Chrome was directed to the next hospital cube down, where the gash on his side was to be treated.  
  
It was only then that a panic stricken Percy burst threw the doors and shouted, "The forces can't hold!"  
  
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Somehow, by some phenomenon, all surviving members of the Order had managed to make it to the bridge- even Hermione and Ron who had found the location by following the shouts that came from the battle laden area.  
  
The area had quickly accumulated to a bottle neck for the Death Eaters which came down that road with their prisoners. As they approached the bridge they were attacked by the Order of the Phoenix, which had situated itself so that they were barely seen and at a strong advantage point for hitting the sorry Death Eaters.  
  
Yet the black hooded culprits kept coming. The sheer number of them began to frighten Hermione as she watched from her vantage point behind a large boulder. She cast spell after spell, but it seemed that for every Death Eater that fell, two more sprung from the ground. She realized how outnumbered they were knew that they could not hold back the enemy.  
  
She wanted to retreat to safety but knew that they had to try to hold out as long as they could. She sent a blast into a crowd of Death Eaters who fell in a heap on top of their already fallen comrades.  
  
A blast form an unknown sender threw Hermione off her feet and sent her into the trunk of a tree. She cried out in pain as her body made contact and scrambled to get back onto her feet.  
  
As she was nearly up another spell flew in her direction and caught the tree ablaze. The flames spread rapidly and as she turned to run a fiery tree fell blocking her way. She screamed for help, running about trying to find an escape as the flames surrounded her. She drew her wand to put the flames out but they were too many for her to extinguish by herself. The smoke filled her lungs and she found herself unable to breathe.  
  
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The two immortals commenced in a battle that seemed to shake the very surface of the earth. Voldemort started with a fiery blast that was easily deflected by Leo. In rapid succession the two traded curses. Each curse follow the previous so quickly that the string of light which was the flying spells appeared seamless.  
  
Blocking so many spells took skill, but mostly stealth and as immortals each possessed both.  
  
Voldemort let out an angry snarl of impatience, and leapt to the top of a column where he proceeded to fire curses down on his opponent. Leo flipped backwards with an incredible in a gravity defying manner, and perched a top another column. He sent a strong destruction spell at Voldemort which broke the column into thousands of fragments and sent the dark cloaked lord to the ground with a hard crunch.  
  
Gracefully, Leo leapt to the ground and strode over to Voldemort in a clam manner. Voldemort spat blood and then rose to his feet. "You cannot beat me Potter. I will apparate from here."  
  
"Try" Leo said snidely, and Voldemort quickly realized that his opponent had developed an anti apparation barrier around the area. In fact, the whole region was blocked from apparation, and his Death Eaters would have to march back to headquarters.  
  
Voldemort yelled and pointed his wand at Leo's heart. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
  
The green spell passed through Leo, who proceeded upon his enemy walking a leisurely manner. "It takes a far stronger spell to defeat an immortal."  
  
Leo sent a strong punch to Voldemort's temple, much to the Dark Lord's astonishment. He staggered backwards and then turned quickly. Grabbing a rock from the ground, rubble from the destroyed column, he swung with it at Leo's head. The rock connected with a sickening crack, and Leo nearly fell to the ground, blood running down his face from a large gash above his eye. He returned the favor with a strong punch to Voldemort's ribs.  
  
Voldemort gasped as a rib cracked and was unable to regain balance another punch to his jaw. He slid across the ruined marble floor, sprawled out- his face flush against the surface.  
  
With a loud clatter a metal object flew from the Dark Lord's robes and slid across the floor. Instantly both men recognized it as the Disc of Immortality and dived for it, all magic forgotten. Being in a healthier state than Voldemort, Leo grabbed the Disc first, sliding across the floor with it in his grasp.  
  
Voldemort cried out in fury, and with every last ounce of energy he through himself blindly in the direction of his opponent. As his hand touched the gold device, a brilliant light filled the area, so bright both men were temporarily blinded. Voldemort was tossed back with such force that he crashed into one of the columns. His body tensed and then went lax. The brilliant light disappeared and the two exhausted men lay motionless for a moment. In his last moment of consciousness Voldemort grabbed a portkey deep inm his pocket and disappeared, no longer immortal.  
  
Eventually Leo rose to his feet and headed off with the Disc in his hands.  
  
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As the flames danced about them Dumbledore realized they'd need to apparate away, that they could not hold off the impeding forces. He called out to his battered warriors and one by one the living apparated back to Hogwarts.  
  
Nobody noticed a young man walking through the flames in a slow, calm manner amidst the chaos. Regulus Leo tucked the Disc of Immortality into a robe pocket and headed for the bridge where he planned to apparate from, hoping to first visit Hogwarts and then return to the House of the Heavens as instructed by the stars. He noticed the fallen bodies about him and thought nothing of. He merely stepped over them, or in some cases, stepped on them. Suddenly a desperate cry filled his ears, seemingly separate from all the rest. Something attracted his senses to the sound, something he could not understand. It was not within the command of the stars to follow the noise but he did. Something directed him but what that was remained unknown to him.  
  
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Hermione had fallen unconscious, a heap of nearly dead human. She slowly stirred for a moment, still struggling for life. Her eyes fluttered open and she tried to crawl but was too weak. Through her barely opened eyelids she watched as a dark figure approached. As it came nearer the picture focused into the form of as man.  
  
"Harry." she whispered, and then she lost consciousness once more.  
  
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Leo found the source of the cry unconscious. She was collapsed on the ground and he studied her for a moment before lifting her in his arms. Not thinking about why or what it was he was doing, he apparated to Hogwarts.  
  
((So what do you all think? Perhaps that was a bit of a cliff hanger. at any rate, much happens next chapter so be sure not to miss it! Now, to my lovely reviewers:))  
  
szihuoko: I hope this chapter matched your anticipation for its arrival. I can assure you that next chapter will be quite interesting. Perhaps not as violent, but interesting none the less.  
  
DreamSweeper: Thank you for your support, every review is appreciated, but especially good reviews (as opposed to flames). So thanks again.  
  
Mabelmione: Happy belated birthday! I'm glad you considered the new chapter a birthday present and not a torture device (JK). I'm very pleased to know that I have devoted fans such as yourself out there, it makes it even more worthwhile. Your questions are very good ones and they will ALL be answered next chapter. Let me tell you, it was a very difficult chapter to write, and I hope you find it worthwhile.  
  
PadfootProngsMoony: Wow, rereading the chapter is always a great compliment (and rarely received). It is incredibly satisfying to hear that you as well as other reviewers liked the turn the plot has taken. I think that there is a key difference between this fic and the last- this one has a plot. Hehe, seriously though, thank you very much for your praise. I emailed you, I don't know if you got it, but I'd like to speak with you as well, I just don't have AIM. Still, I hope to hear from you on this chapter. Thanks again.  
  
Mrs-Osborne's-class: I'm glad to hear from you, I am deeply appreciative of all the reviews you've given me over my "career" as a fic writer. I also appreciate the idea that you were thinking about my fic outside of reading it because it means I have accomplished something worth remembering from time to time, and that means a lot to me. As for the writing of Harry's death, I understand why a lot of people were discouraged by it, and I was aware of that factor when I wrote it. Yet I had a plan in mind and so I took the risk of letting Harry die as well as including the angst that ensued. It was my intent to capture the sorrow of Harry's passing, so I'm glad that came across. I find that one of the most interesting complexes of human nature is sorrow and despair so I can't help but include it in my fics. Now that I've rambled on for quite some time, I'd like to say thank you and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.  
  
Gryffindor620: Very good question indeed, "does Harry still love Hermione?". I hope the end of this chapter gave you a little hint and I can assure you the nest one will be even more telling.  
  
HAZZAGRIFF: Thank you for your repeated reviews and for loving my fic. Somebody has to. (JK)  
  
Slytherin-Gryffindor gal: I hope you liked this chapter. I'm encouraged by your support in your review, I'm glad Dumbledore's inner conflicts came across! By the way, wishes can come true (hint, hint).  
  
Merlana: Good speculation about the outcome, yes, Harry's back, and I think it'll get even stranger next chapter. Thank- you for reviewing! 


	8. Exchanges and Reunions

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
((Okay, so I've been gone for a rather long time. I had thought about giving up due to writers block, but last night, I majestically regained the will to write. So, here's what I believe is my longest, and hardest to write chapter ever. Please review because this chapter was difficult for me, and I would really appreciate feedback. My thanks to you reviewers from last time is at the bottom)).  
  
Mrs. Weasley felt on the verge of hyperventilating after Percy's dramatic entrance into the infirmary with his proclamation that they were outnumbered and being slaughtered. It was not as bad as he had led her to believe. They had suffered a number of casualties but somehow the Weasley family managed to escape without any deaths once more. Now she watched over the sleeping form of her daughter, collecting her emotions.  
  
The last patient to enter was Hermione Granger, who had been carried in by a tall, dark man with a hood that had been shielding the rain but obstructed his face. He left so quickly he seemed to have hardly been there and he was gone once more. Hermione was in a dangerous state when she arrived, but Madame Pomfrey had given her a number of potions to help her recover and Hermione, though weak, had thereafter insisted on going back to the Hogwart's room she'd been staying in.  
  
Chrome was well healed at that point, and assisted his sister in her trek to her room.  
  
Meanwhile Mrs. Weasley was alone. She had sent every last concerned son of hers straight to bed, fussing over their health first. She had even insisted her husband not stay long, assuring him Ginny would be just fine.  
  
Molly Weasley looked about the infirmary, marveling at the number of injuries that had been sustained. She knew some of them were never coming back, the last count she had heard was 30 deaths. Many were names she didn't recognize but Fleur Delacour was amongst the few she did. Inside she was relived that her son had ended his relationship with her long ago. She hated the thought of any of her children being hurt like that. Ron almost had last battle, Cho Chang had received some critical wounds but managed to survive.  
  
Mrs. Weasley had not been pleased that Ron had moved in with Cho, but she was not pleased when he'd moved back out either. She thought Cho was a nice enough girl, and most importantly, she made Ron feel special. She hoped that they managed to patch their broken relationship back together, though she wasn't sure what that would require since she couldn't understand how it had broken in the first place.  
  
She suddenly noticed Ginny stirring and moved closer to her.  
  
"Mum?" Ginny mumbled, still disoriented.  
  
Mrs. Weasley felt tears welling up from within her. "Yes, mommy's here Ginny." She stoked Ginny's hair back from her forehead.  
  
"You should be resting mum. You shouldn't worry so much. I'm fine."  
  
"Yes, it appears you will be. But it was such a close call! Head injuries can be... so dangerous." She knew it sounded lame as soon as it left her lips but it was heartfelt and she had no better words in her fatigue.  
  
"How's Dad? And Ron? And all the rest?" Ginny asked anxiously.  
  
Mrs. Weasley smiled at her daughter, looking so little there in the bed. It reminded her of when Ginny was just a little girl and she would read her bedtime stories. Mrs. Weasley assured her that the family was fine, and told her briefly of Hermione's now resolved complication.  
  
Ginny sighed in relief and appeared to be drifting back off to sleep. "How did I get here?" Ginny yawned. "Last thing I remember I was walking with Chrome and an explosion went off."  
  
"Oh yes, it was the explosion that apparently knocked you out." Mrs. Weasley was becoming teary eyed again. "Chrome said you both would've been killed if you hadn't gotten down."  
  
Mrs. Weasley was now full out sobbing and Ginny reached out to brush back a stray strand of her mothers hair to comfort the caring woman.  
  
"Everything's alright now mum" she said in a soothing whisper as her mothers sobs resided. But both women knew that wasn't necessarily so. There was still a war to be finished and those black clouds seemed to loom on the horizon. Yet they were at a distance still, and for that they could both breathe a sigh of relief.  
  
"So Chrome brought me here?" Ginny asked, settling back into her pillows. Her mother nodded, suddenly suspicious as to why the two were together in the first place. Chrome had proved to be a valuable member of the Order and a hard worker. He seemed to be a good brother to Hermione, but as for being a good person... that was still debatable. He also seemed to drink an awful lot.  
  
Ginny did not notice her mother's frown as she drifted off to sleep, forgetting about the impeding storm and unaware of the tornado that would sweep them all in the morning.  
  
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After Leo had dropped the injured Order member off at the infirmary he popped into Dumbledore's office. Anti- apparation wards were no obstacle for immortals such as himself. His mission was so close to completion he could nearly taste it.  
  
Dumbledore had a massive headache, one so great he had not felt such in longer than he could remember. He was miserable, suffering and sore, but was afraid that if he went to sleep something drastic might occur. He sat in his office chair, the room dark but for a low fire. Adrian Rimms sat by the fire, hopelessly cold in his mortal body. He had maintained the looks and mannerisms of an immortal but the pains of mortality were with him once more.  
  
Suddenly a black shadow flickered in the corner and Dumbledore directed his attention to it. Harry Potter... or Regulus Leo, emerged looking wet but confident. He reached into his robe pocket and dislodged the Disc of Immortality.  
  
Dumbledore's eyes grew wide. "My dear boy, you've done it!" He exclaimed, forgetting that it was an immortal he was speaking with and not his dear old student Harry.  
  
Adrian Rimms shot up from his seat and his eyes became transfixed on the object. His expression was unreadable and in an intense whisper he said, "Might I touch it?"  
  
Dumbledore was unsure as to why the older fellow wished to do so, but Leo merely nodded and Adrian nearly ran across the room to get to it. The mood grew intense as the golden disc shimmered with the dancing flames of the fire and the darkness nearly obscured the two men on either side of the device. Slowly Adrian extended his hand until it rested upon the device. Suddenly a brilliant and blinding light filled the room. Dumbledore cried out in shock and was forced to avert his eyes from the brilliant golden glow.  
  
Leo gripped the Disc, but it suddenly began to burn and he found it searing into his hands. He yelped in pain- a feeling not common to immortals, and suddenly realized something was very wrong. The Disc suddenly ripped free of his hands and flew into those of Adrian Rimms. Leo could feel a lurching from inside him and was repelled backwards into the stone wall. As his head connected with the wall he lost consciousness. A shimmer of gold light seemed to radiate out of his body and pass into Adrian Rimms.  
  
Suddenly all glowing ceased and the room went dark. Adrian took the disc and tucked it into his robe. Dumbledore looked into Adrian's eyes and saw a vast change. No longer was there a saddened look of longing but rather a brilliant gleam of power and knowledge. Adrian gave him a little nod which Dumbledore returned, and then he vanished.  
  
Quickly rising to his feet Dumbledore ran to the fallen form of Harry. He brought his fingers up to find a pulse and let out a breathe of relief when he found one. He hastily levitated Harry's limp body and set off to the infirmary.  
  
When he arrived it was dark and he quickly found a bed insisting nobody see who it was he'd brought, even Madame Pomfrey. Dumbledore knew substantial healing methods and did not think it wise to let too many know that the boy- who- lived was back. He was not sure what state Harry was currently in.  
  
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Harry began to slowly open his eyes and quickly squeezed them closed again to avoid the bright light of the lantern above his face. It was early dawn and the sun had not yet risen though it was not the verge.  
  
Harry slowly opened his eyes once more and as his eyes adjusted so did his mind. To his surprise he realized his vision was focusing without his glasses.  
  
The wise old headmaster at the foot of his bed must've seen Harry's confusion for in a calm and kind tone he said, "It appears the physical changes of your time spent in the House of the Heavens have remained. I had wondered as the same thing happened to Adrian Rimms, your predecessor in the position of Regulus Leo. He is fact, back in the position of Regulus Leo, but of course, he no longer has any memories of his past. But Alas, welcome home Harry."  
  
Harry could scarcely speak. He knew he'd died, though he couldn't remember the precise moment. "I died- no, not died" Herry argued in his mind "became immortal. But I was as good as dead for... for... almost three months!" Harry's mind raced for a moment, his heart racing along with it. Fir a moment everything felt too surreal as he heard the blood roaring in his ears.  
  
"Hermione! Ron!" Harry suddenly shouted, shooting up in his bed. He went to grab the bedside to pull himself up, but a shock of extreme and unexpected pain in his hands forced him to let go.  
  
"Harry, lay back down" Dumbledore said in a commanding tone that was not to be reckoned with. Dumbledore studied the boy before him. "No, scratch that he's now a man" Dumbledore realized. Harry had calmed down with an unexpected maturity, and now watching through his brilliant green eyes, clouded with confusion and dismay, he lay still, patiently awaiting his mentors explanations.  
  
With a long and deep breathe, Dumbledore sat beside Harry's bed and caught Harry's confused gave with his own calm and wise one.  
  
"Everyone has suffered since your passing Harry. None more than Hermione and Ron. Those pains will take time to mend, even with your miraculous recovery. The havoc wreaked upon the wizarding world, the panic from your single death is incomprehensible. You are back now, but as you may recall from that mission you just accompanied us on, the war is just taking on full motion."  
  
Dumbledore pulled a jug of pumpkin juice out from the cupboard and poured himself a cup. With an expressive raise of his eyebrows and seemed to inquire if Harry would like some and Harry declined with a small smile.  
  
Taking a sip Dumbledore then rested his cup down and pointed to Harry's hands. Harry turned his hands over, the thin but strong hands of an ex- seeker and a powerful wizard. He gasped as he saw two deep scars running in a line across both. He realized that that was where the pain had come from.  
  
"When holding the Disc you were touching some very powerful and very ancient magic." Dumbledore explained. "The wounds you sustained could not be fully mended, and though the pain may subside, I fear the scars shall always remain."  
  
Harry pulled his mouth into a smug half smile. "I'll just have to add them to my collection."  
  
Harry had a sadness in his eyes that Dumbledore knew he could not touch, and he merely rested a hand on the young man's shoulder. "I'm sure you are very confused by all this. What I'm sure you already understand is that Lord Voldemort stole the Disc of Immortality and with it the immortality of Regulus Leo, who at that time was Adrian Rimms. Shortly after he faced you during our mission and he killed you. Being strong as you are with ancient magic you were then sent to the House of the Heavens where you lost all memory and resumed the position of Regulus Leo. You battled Voldemort to regain the disc this very evening, and succeeded in both that and taking back the immortality he stole."  
  
To Harry that all made sense and was just a general recap. What he didn't understand was what had occurred when he went into Dumbldore's office. As if reading Harry's mind Dumbledore took another sip of his drink and proceeded to explain.  
  
"Tonight when you came into my office with the Disc of Immortality, you had no mission but to present it to me and then take it with you back to the House of the Heavens. Yet it seems the stars had alternative motives. Since you've been sleeping I've been informed that a certain Ms. Hermione Granger was saved by an unknown stranger wearing a hood. Now, I doubt the stars commanded you to do that."  
  
Dumbledore's eyes became serious but at the same time were soft and sparkled. "Some things go beyond that which is ordinary in life and become so extraordinary that they follow us into death."  
  
Dumbledore fell silent as Harry sorted it all out. Whatever transformations that had happened to Harry during his immortality were not enough to entirely vanquish his love for Hermione.  
  
"You betrayed the stars and they wanted Adrian Rimms back. So they commanded you to my office. When Adrian touched the Disc it was activated. It took the immortal life form you and gave it to Adrian. You are no longer immortal. But you are alive."  
  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at this and Harry had to marvel at the situation. He felt joy, and unbeknownst joy that swelled up from his heart. He had survived, and that alone was reason to be grateful. He could return to Hermione.  
  
Dumbledore never missed the slightest change in mood or emotion, and he clearly noted Harry's sudden fidgeting. He could tell Harry was eager for one thing and that was to see Hermione.  
  
Dumbledore gave Harry a smile. "I know you're still weak but I see no reason as to why you should not visit Ms. Granger." With a little wink he rose to his feet, and the great man swept away from the room, leaving Harry to prepare himself.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione woke suddenly. Her sleep had restless. Images of dead bodies rising up and attacking her kept plaguing her sleep, and when that was happening the flames were surrounding her again. She'd awake panting, sweating and very near to tears.  
  
Most confusing to her was how she'd been saved. They told her that the stranger who brought her to the infirmary had left quickly and every time she tried to think about who it could have been an image had popped up into her mind of Harry walking towards her through the flames. Yet that couldn't be... she knew that.  
  
Awake once more she grabbed a tight grip on her blanket and willed herself to fall back a sleep, frustration seeping in. A faint tint of pink was emanating from her window and she knew the sun was just rising. She rolled onto her side so that she was facing the wall. She did not want the sun to come, she wasn't ready for another day yet.  
  
Just as she was beginning to slip back into an uncomfortable slumber she heard her door creak open slowly.  
  
She rolled towards the door lethargically, wondering who it could be. As the door cracked open the face that peered in was the last she'd ever expect to see. Harry.  
  
Her immediate emotion was fear. He had died, she'd seen her body. She couldn't possibly be seeing this... she shouldn't be seeing this, not if she were mentally stable. Her breathing became irregular and she backed up against the wall, pulling the blankets part way over her head like a little child.  
  
"It's me Hermione." Harry said, lacking for any other words. The situation was so indescribably strange and he couldn't imagine how he could overcome the obvious barriers that lay between the two of them at the moment. He just took in a deep breathe and looked at her, scared and small, trying to hide from him. He wanted to see her, it had been so long now. He wanted to touch her, even just to play with that hair he so adored. "I'm not dead... something happened... I'm back."  
  
Hermione pulled the covers back down but her shook her head stubbornly, refusing to believe it. "This is just a dream. I'm not insane. It's a dream and I'll wake up soon."  
  
Harry gave her a sympathetic smile. "Do you want to wake up if it is a dream?" He asked, half feeling like the whole thing may in fact be a dream.  
  
Hermione's expression softened. "Of course not."  
  
Harry sat on the edge of her bed and she didn't move away, she just looked up at him. "Let's just pretend like its real then."  
  
He leaned down to kiss her and she moved into the kiss as well. It wasn't very long, just simple and sweet and when they pulled apart Harry could see she was crying. He laid down next to her on the bed and gently brushed the tears away from her cheeks.  
  
"I've missed you so much Harry" she whispered, snuggling closer to him.  
  
He said nothing, merely stroking her back softly and listening to her breathe. He couldn't tell her he'd missed her because he hadn't. He had lost all memory of her. Yet now he was back. He had a second chance. A second chance to set things right and a second chance at a life with her.  
  
He realized she had fallen asleep and smiled down at her sleeping form. With a little laugh he pulled the covers over both of them and closed his eyes as well. He wouldn't have thought that shortly after returning to her they would fall back asleep, yet there they were a moment later, both fast asleep in one another's embrace.  
  
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Ron was walking down the hall at around 9:00, after having eaten breakfast. He stopped dead in his tracks and took in a deep breathe. Then he sneezed so loudly it seemed to echo down the corridor.  
  
"Sounds like ickle Ronnikins has a cold" said a teasing voice, and Ron smiled widely, instantly recognizing it.  
  
"Ginny" he stated happily, turning around to encompass her in a giant hug. His little sister beamed up at him, looking glad to see him but still retaining that sly look she seemed to have developed over the years. "Feeling better Gin?"  
  
"Loads better" she said with a nod. "Mum and Pomfrey wanted me to rest longer but I told them to quit their fussing, that I needed to get up and about or I'd get sore."  
  
"I can't believe they let you get out!" Ron exclaimed, now steering her towards the Great Hall. "At any rate, why don't we get some breakfast?"  
  
"Ron, I just saw you leaving to Great Hall. You already ate."  
  
Ron smirked a bit. "I always have room for more."  
  
Ginny merely rolled her eyes and laughed as they entered the Great Hall side by side, passing a few students on their way out.  
  
"Do you suppose Dumbledore will close the school soon?" Ginny asked with a frown.  
  
Ron nodded. "I believe it's just a very short matter of time. He wants them to learn as much as possible before he sends them away but with war brewing... Hogwarts just isn't safe anymore."  
  
Ginny felt saddened by this news and found herself picking at her food when it came.  
  
"It's not that bad Gin!" Ron said through a mouth of oatmeal. "You'll be able to stay since you're an Order member. It'll open again, probably not too long after it closes."  
  
Ginny gave him a weak smile and with a little nod turned back to her food. She just wished he knew that for certain.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione stirred in the morning sunlight. She went to stretch when she realized someone was holding her. With a little yelp she tried to struggle loose and her captor finally gave. She pushed her back against the wall and set up, her eyes wide with alarm. She looked down to see a tired and disconcerted Harry looking up at her. She began to remember the previous night. She thought it had all been a dream. Now she knew she was truly insane.  
  
"Hermione..." Harry whispered, trying to push himself up.  
  
"GET OUT!" Hermione shrieked, kicking the imposter so hard he toppled off the bed and onto to the floor.  
  
"Ugh..." he groaned, and with the utmost effort was able to get himself to his feet.  
  
"Who are you?!" Hermione demanded, her eyes wild and her wand now pointed at him for attack.  
  
"It's me Harry! I know you think I did, I kind of did it's complicated, just let me explain! Please Hermione!"  
  
She saw the pleading in his eyes and despite her fear and anxiety regarding the situation, she lowered her wand and waited for him to speak. He explained everything to her from the point of his death to the previous evening. To her everything sounded so outrageous and it was all hard to believe. Yet it made sense. The fact that he knew about the Disc of Immortality when so few did seemed reason enough to believe him. The story was too complex for any normal person to think up if they were trying to pass themselves off as Harry Potter, and it was certainly too complex for her mind to be making up. Yet she still needed more proof.  
  
She tried to think of a question in which only Harry would know the answer too. It was a bit hard since to Daily Profit seemed to have published every fact in his life and many of the ones they hadn't she didn't know the answers too either. She looked down at her hands and saw the ring on her finger, his Christmas gift to her.  
  
"What is inscribed on my ring?" She asked, her face dead serious, her voice apprehensive.  
  
"With all my heart and all my soul I am with you" Harry said immediately, his voice soft but confident.  
  
Tears began to well up in Hermione's eyes. She couldn't believe this was happening. It felt as though it had been years that she had been tormented by his death. Her emptiness, her sorrow was about to end but she was afraid to let it end. What if she woke up and it was a dream? What if she had imagined this all? Such a let down would be one that her fragile mind could not cope with. For so long she had felt like she was drowning alive and now maybe she had drowned to the very bottom, fallen into the deep dark recesses of the ocean where insanity lurks.  
  
She fought back her tears and stood up from the chair she'd sat down in. She was shakey all over. She felt as though she may hyperventilate with confusion. There was an invisible force applying so much pressure on her she felt ready to implode. She wanted to be rational, to be able to use her famous logic to straighten out the issue at hand yet she could not wrap her mind around it. Her head began to pound at she felt dizzy.  
  
Harry watched as Hermione grew pale and disoriented. He hated to see her struggling as she was, wanted to somehow convince her of the truth, prove to her that it would all be okay. It had always been that way for him, though he had never realized it. He had always hoped to make things okay for people, to set things right where he could. But for nobody more than Hermione. It pained him to remember when she'd been petrified during second year, strapped down at the bottom of the lake during forth and nearly killed several times during fifth. Life had always been dangerous for everyone close to him, but this sort of pain, the pain of his death, seemed to take the prize as the worst.  
  
The room seemed to be swirling around Hermione as she struggled to calm herself. She suddenly tumbled forward and Harry... if it really was Harry... grabbed her tightly in his arms and with a swift motion carried her to her bed and laid her down. He kneeled down beside her and watched her with a growing concern.  
  
"You can't be Harry, you don't have glasses, and you look a bit... different." She suddenly whispered as if having reached a conclusion.  
  
He hurriedly explained to her why that was and she bit her lip as the words settled into her mind making complete sense, but baffling her as what to think next. Harry saved her the thinking as he suddenly came forward and caught her mouth with his own.  
  
The kiss was deep and passionate and as she tasted him and felt the way he kissed her she knew it had to be him. She deepened the kiss more with a sudden desire and when they pulled apart she cried his name out with a deeply rooted joy.  
  
He smiled as he realized she had figured out it was truly him. She clung to him desperately, wrapping her arms around his back as he laid on the bed with her once more. She buried her face into his chest and deeply breathed in the familiar scent of him that she had not been around for so long. She tried to keep herself from losing her control but she could not. She began to sob, tears of joy, tears of confusion and a mixture of other tears that she did not know the origin of. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and she felt warm and safe, her tears subsiding.  
  
She pulled back to kiss him again, to assure that he was real. "You're going to have a lot of explaining to do" she whispered, her lips brushing against his as she spoke.  
  
He could feel her mouth curve into a small smile and he laughed a little. Being near her was so achingly perfect, he didn't want to move. He kissed her this time and then broke apart, just holding her and listening to her breathe, demanding nothing more.  
  
He was not surprised when she fell asleep in his arms, such an event as that which had just occurred was quite draining. As he lay with her he knew he needed to talk to someone else. Ron.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron and Ginny were walking around the lake after they finished their breakfast. They were each telling funny stories they recalled from Hogwarts.  
  
Ginny had just finished reminiscing about George and Fred's famous escape from Hogwarts in their seventh year and they were both laughing, feeling good about getting their minds off of the stressful matters at hand.  
  
Suddenly Ron looked up towards the castle and squinted his eyes in a look of disdain. Ginny followed his gaze, shading her eyes from the sun with her hand. She made out the form of someone leaning against the castle.  
  
"Looks like your boyfriend's stalking you now" Ron growled.  
  
"Very funny Ron, he's not my boyfriend, don't you dare say that around Dean" she scolded, realizing the person they were looking at was Chrome.  
  
"Good thing he's not."  
  
"Why are you suddenly hostile towards him? You never had any problems in the past. He saved my life you know." Ginny was feeling nervous about the situation and found herself glaring at Ron.  
  
Ron merely sighed. "I know, I know."  
  
"I need to thank him. I'll talk to you later Ron." She gave him a quick hug and ran towards the shadow of Chrome.  
  
"Yeah I used to like him fine in the past. But that was before you started liking him." He muttered towards Ginny's retreating figure.  
  
He turned slowly and reluctantly away from the sight of Ginny approaching Chrome and began to walk into a fringe of trees on the outskirt of the lake. As the shadows of the forest consumed him he took in a deep breathe of the frosty morning air and tired to clear his mind. Ginny was no longer with him to distract his dark and paranoid thoughts. He thought he heard a crack off in the distance and he jumped, grabbing for his wand. His tired, blood shot eyes twitched about in search of the attacker.  
  
He took in a long staggering breathe. Everything about him was silent. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. "There's nothing there. Relax." He commanded himself, but he couldn't. He sucked in another uneven breathe and forced himself to pocket the wand. Yet just then another crack sounded and Ron scrambled for his wand once more. He began to pant as his breathing grew irregular. The wand slipped from his hands and crashed to the ground. He dove down to his knees to retrieve it, but it was too late. He felt a presence behind him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chrome was having a little drink and taking in the fresh air when he saw Ron and Ginny come into view. "So she's already up and moving then?" He thought to himself, recapping his flask to go back inside. He noticed they had stopped and then Ginny was coming towards him.  
  
He pocketed the flask and crossed his arms as she grew nearer. "Ginny" he said with a little nod.  
  
She tilted her head to the side, her expression serious and said nothing for a while. They were standing rather near and Chrome waited for her to speak.  
  
"Don't act so estranged Chrome" she said, sounding a little hurt. "I just wanted to thank you for..."  
  
"I know what for" he said. "You don't need to thank me. It wasn't like I'd just leave you there."  
  
"Well, thank you all the same" she whispered, shivering a little in the cold breeze.  
  
He gave her a little grin and the Chrome who she liked, the one she could be friendly with re emerged. "You're very light anyways, carrying you was quite simple. Do you even eat?"  
  
"Of course I do you stupid git!" She laughed. "I'll out eat you any day!" Even as she said it she knew she couldn't possibly. She had a good appetite, but Chrome was tall and well muscled and probably had plenty of room to store food. Still, she had to put the challenge out there.  
  
"You're on" he said, straightening out his jacket and standing up straight in front of her. She gave him a little smile, unsure of what to say next. Fortunately, he broke the silence. "Are there any restaurants around here?"  
  
"Sure" she replied absently. "In Hogsmede there's a few. Why?"  
  
"Well, the way I see it, we might as well have this competition right now- if your up to it."  
  
"Well it is a Hogsmede day, and I have nothing else to do. Sure why not?" She laughed.  
  
He offered her his arm and the gesture surprised her. He was neither gentlemanly nor should they be together in any romantic way. He laughed and gave her a little wink. "Contrary to rumors I don't bite, and you look cold."  
  
With that she accepted and they walked together to Hogsmede.  
  
Chrome liked Ginny. He knew she had a boyfriend, but that was fine, he only liked her as a friend. She was a bit adventurous but easy going. She was easy to talk with and a good, wholesome, decent girl unlike many of the girls he had been with in the past. Perhaps she could make him a good friend in his loneliness.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron slowly turned around from his hands and knees until he was positioned laying on his back, like an animal showing its stomach in surrender. He lifted his weary and fearful eyes up to his attacker.  
  
Harry had not meant to scare Ron as he approached him in the forest, but considering as he had died and Ron had watched his stiff mortal corpse be buried beneath the ground, it seemed inevitable that the sight of him would be a shocking and frightening one. Yet as Ron made eye contact with Harry he saw none of the expressions he expected to see. The fear from his eyes drained and it was not replaced by shock or happiness. Instead, there was just a tired dazed look in the eyes of his best friend.  
  
Harry searched Ron's face for a hint of the Ron he used to know, the goofy but loyal boy who had a good sense of humor but a surprising sense of bravery. He saw only a sickly paleness, hollow eyes and a thin pressed mouth that appeared to have never smiled. The two just looked at each other and neither moved for some time.  
  
Suddenly Ron's mouth twisted into an odd but comforting smile and he said, "So, you're back eh? Took you long enough."  
  
Harry's eyes widened in surprise, but when he saw Ron laughing he couldn't help but laugh as well. He offered his hand to the downed red head who accepted and used it to pull himself to his feet.  
  
"How did you know I'd come back?" Harry asked, utterly confused and unable to hide his perplexity.  
  
"I didn't" Ron merely said, dusting off his pants.  
  
"Well you don't seem surprised... or disbelieving for that matter."  
  
Ron looked up from his feet where his eyes were trained and Harry finally saw some confusion there, but mostly pained.  
  
"I am surprised. I think I'm so shocked I... I don't know how to react. But if you were after me, you would have killed me by now right? Right?"  
  
Harry saw paranoia creep up into Ron's eyes and he wasn't sure how to answer such a strange question. "It's me Ron. Of course I'm not going to kill you."  
  
Ron took a weary step backwards, and with a defeated sigh flopped to the ground and leaned against the thick, black trunk of an ancient looking tree. "You might as well. I'm just so worn out Harry. I'm just so worn thin from it all. Ever since you left us after fifth year I started wearing thin, and since you died... I've just been more worn."  
  
Harry looked sadly at the crumpled mass of his lost and troubled friend. He had no words of comfort. Ron broke the silence once more.  
  
"But you're back" he said in an awed whisper. "I should've known you would come back. You're the Boy Who Lived... twice." Ron chuckled at this and there was no resentment in his voice but rather joy, pure joy, something so rarely found in the wizarding world at such times.  
  
Harry took no offense to his being called by the ridiculous name the press had always referred to him by. Instead he chuckled along with Ron and accepted his friend in a tight brotherly hug that reminded him why it was so good to be back.  
  
Straightening up Ron gave Harry a quirky little smile and then said, "so explain it all to me."  
  
And Harry did, giving Ron every detail as they walked around the pond together, both feeling happy to be alive.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chrome frowned as he looked about Hogsmeded. Most of the shops were closed and the windows were covered with boards. "What's happening?" He asked Ginny.  
  
"Most of the places in Hogsmede, and practically every other wizarding place not associated with dark magic is closing up. After last night's attack on the muggles..." her voice dropped off as memories of the pain and terror associated with the previous night ran through her mind. Chrome didn't seem to notice she'd stopped talking however, and instead stopped walking suddenly.  
  
Ginny barely realized he'd stopped walking with her, too caught up in thoughts of Voldemort and Death Eaters. When she finally noticed and looked back at him she saw that he was reading a bright colored flier that changed colors to attract attention. She walked over beside him and he moved over so she could read the flier as well.  
  
In bold black print the message read:  
  
"ATTENTION WITCHES AND WIZARDS OF ENGLAND!  
  
As you may be aware, dark forces are attacking all over Europe! They have taken many of our family members and they have even killed such heroes as Cornelius Fudge and Harry Potter. Remember the countless attacks on Hogsmede? Remember the attack of the ministry, when 50 of your beloved friends and family members were murdered? Now is the time to from an army. The terror has gone on for over four years now! All wizards and witches, hear the call of the Ministry of Magic and join the EMA today!"  
  
"Oh shit" Ginny swore. "This is not good. They're drawing this to a war far too quickly. We need time, time to try to get in there in take them out part by part. The last thing we need is one large scale battle. We don't have the forces to face them!"  
  
"What's the EMA?" Chrome asked, his voice husky and serious.  
  
"England's Magic Army." Ginny sighed. "We always have an army, but it's a very small force since it was reduced after You- Know- Who's so-called 'death' when Harry vanquished him as a baby."  
  
"If the ministry assembles an army, um... You- Know- Who will just go after it with his own army." Chrome said, realizing why Ginny was less than pleased by the flier.  
  
"Exactly." Ginny muttered, stepping away from the disgusting notice. "Then again," she thought, "the ministry has to do something to appease the people. But why couldn't they just listen to Dumbledore for once!"  
  
"Let's go back and talk to Dumbledore about this." Ginny said, nervously biting her bottom lip as she spoke. Chrome nodded and they walked at a brisk pace back towards the castle.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione woke up slowly, her mind recollecting itself. Her arm shot out for Harry and she realized he was not laying beside her any longer. She sat up and yelled his name, hoping he was just down the hall. "He was never here... I dreamed it..." her mind was spinning and she quickly dressed. "This can't be happening" she thought, her mind screaming out for him. She raced outside the castle blindly, not sure where she was headed.  
  
"Harry!" She yelled out onto the school grounds, the frightened and small sounding words echoing back at her. She stumbled forwards and was caught before she plunged face first onto the frozen ground. Recovering her balance she looked up to see Harry holding her, his face etched with concern.  
  
"Gods Harry! Where the hell did you go!" Her throat burned and she wrapped her arms around him to ensure his solidity. She let go and then looked to see Ron standing next to Harry.  
  
"I just went to find Ron." Harry assured her, and then taking her hand the three walked back up to the castle.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dumbledore was playing darts when Ginny Weasley came racing into his office.  
  
"Ms. Weasley, I like the way you knocked" he teased with a little smile.  
  
Ginny blushed lightly, feeling a bit ashamed of her abrupt entrance.  
  
Dumbledore did not seem to notice, and with a good natured smile her offered her and the just entering Chrome a toffee. Ginny declined but Chrome accepted, hungry since they never made it to lunch. Dumbledore was setting up to throw another dart and Ginny sighed a little impatiently. Releasing he missed the dart bored entirely.  
  
"Drat, I've never been good at this without using magic" Dumbledore admitted with a little wink. Chrome grabbed one of the darts off of Dumbledore's desk and sent in straight into the bulls eye.  
  
"It's easy" Chrome said shortly not noticing Dumbledore's amused look or Ginny's frustrated one.  
  
"It's easy when you have Celtic Warrior powers of precision." Dumbledore added, finally looking to Ginny. "I suppose you have something to say, for it is highly improbable that you came just so Chrome could beat me at darts."  
  
Ginny couldn't help but laugh a little at this, but then got directly to the point. Dumbledore listened to her rant about the EMA, his face still and not revealing any emotion. When Ginny finished she crossed the room and flopped lazily into an arm chair in the corner of the office. Chrome stood just behind her, leaning on the back of the chair.  
  
Dumbledore gazed at them, his look even and meaningful. "I am aware of the ministries foolishness. I've been trying to press against it, but it appears that Minister Blake has the same amount of regard for my words as Minister Fudge- which as we know, is little to none."  
  
Minister Blake had taken office after Fudge was killed in the ministry attack several years prior. He was a tall man, middle aged with short gray hair, almost black eyes and thick eyebrows that made him look constantly angry. He hadn't proved to be a very reliable ally to the Order, and it was no real surprise if one took time to take a long hard look at the facts which separated Blake from Dumbledore. Dumbledore was about undercover missions, involving as few people as possible and getting in and out without a bloody confrontation. Blake on the other hand was a retired war General and he strongly believed in direct confrontation military tactics. But such would prove to be his ruin.  
  
"We will need an Order meeting very soon however." Dumbledore said in an off hand manner. "I was hoping to give Order members a rest after last nights battle, but I fear that will not be possible if what you say is true about the distribution of fliers." Dumbledore looked rather apprehensive.  
  
"Tell the others there will be a meeting tonight at eight."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Order meeting had an almost overbearing air of uncertainty hanging over the heads of the members. There was a silent awkwardness, a black stain seeping out from the invisible wounds and keeping people in fear of saying something wrong. Neither Tonks nor Remus were present, both ailing from serious and life threatening wounds. Fleur Delacoure would never again be present, having died the previous night.  
  
Azkaban Prison was so brimming full of captured Death Eaters that some feared even the Giants could not hold them at bay, and a new plan was being placed underway by the ministry for another prison. Then there was the fact that over 100, possibly 200 Muggles had been taken prisoner the previous night. It was a stomach churning sort of situation.  
  
Ginny Weasley was sitting between her mother and Fred feeling a bit queasy. The tension seemed thick enough to cut with a knife. She looked around the room, trying to distract herself. Grimauld Place had been a wonderful place for the Order during the summer, but most of the year they met at Hogwarts in a large, hidden hall with tall stone pillars. The room could seem to be properly lit as it was so huge and the only light fixtures were single candles of stands that stood at every column. It was rather eerie, especially now when everything seemed distorted and surreal, life seemed to terrible to be possible.  
  
Ginny noted the Hermione and Ron were both absent and she wondered where they could have possibly gone. Now was certainly not a good time to be mourning for Harry, but she knew they were perfectly aware of that. She also saw that Chrome wasn't there, and that was rather more perplexing as he had only gone to take a nap earlier. "Perhaps he overslept" she thought.  
  
As if on cue Chrome came sauntering through the door in his typical lazy, conceited manner, seemingly unaware of the eyes now staring at him. He looked rather shuffled and rugged, his clothes wrinkled, and Ginny smiled with amusement as she realized he had just woken up. He took a seat and sat still for a moment before he realized everyone was staring at him. "What?" He grumbled and everyone just turned away, realizing they'd been caught. Ginny looked away too, but only to conceal a small laugh. She knew it was not a good time for humor, but she couldn't help it. She took another quick look at him to see that he was scowling. One thing for sure, he would never be labeled as a cheery sort.  
  
The door opened once more and this time Dumbledore entered, a trail of flowing robes following his passage. He did not sit but instead stood at the head of the table, an unreadable expression on his face. "Tonight I wish for us to begin the meeting remembering those who were lost last night fighting for our cause."  
  
In unison everyone bowed their heads as he read off the long list of friends and family who had died in the valiant efforts of the previous night. "We shall never forget Fleur Delacour, one of our most reliable allies and a magnificent witch. Her commitment to the Order despite her distant home in France was one of irreplaceable worth. She shall remain forever honored."  
  
A loud cry was heard from Olympus and Hagrid patted her back with his giant hand as she wept. When all prayers, thoughts and tears had subsided Dumbledore cleared his throat to redirect everyone's attention to him. "It was not so very long ago that I told an Order member that there is still hope. But now I am quite sure that none of you will believe it if I say it once more." He suddenly gripped the edge of the table tightly. In his old and weary eyes there was suddenly fire, the sort of flame that ignited the very souls of every member of the Order.  
  
He leaned forward, his tall stature becoming ever the more clear and in a loud but firm and decisive voice he spoke once more. "There is still hope."  
  
His voice echoed off the pillars of the room and in his fierce gaze, his strong voice and his proud stature he made them to believe. It was a sort of incredible thing that they should however, when all seemingly had fallen to hell and nothing good was remaining. When lovers died and best friends forfeited their lived for naught. When mothers fell asleep weeping for a loss they have not yet seen and young men and women hide in the dark shadows, shaking in fear as youth and the joy that accompanies it is lost. People come to fear the sun for it strips away their defenses and leaves them naked for all the torture and turmoil of a world gone mad. Sickly pallor and death would clinch their ruin before they ever even saw the face of their enemy. Their seemed to be no more use for bravery and all heroes had either died or hidden behind their capes.  
  
Yet there was hope. And when Albus Dumbledore said those words with such conviction, such strength, it was suddenly seen.  
  
"There is hope" he said once more. "Now I bring it to you."  
  
He turned expectantly towards the tall oak doors of the chamber, heavy but elegant, a testimony to the age of the castle. The tension in the air was now different. It was expectant, filled with anticipation. It was hopeful.  
  
Through the doors stepped none other than Harry James Potter, followed by his two best friends. The inseparable trio. Hagrid let out a loud cry that was combined shock and joy. It echoed through the hall, silence permeating. And then there was chaos. Cries of joy, tears of mirth and a pure jubilation that clashed terribly with the previous sorrow they had felt.  
  
None stood to approach him however. He was altogether distant, "godlike" Ginny thought, knowing Harry would wretch if he heard the likening. Yet as he stood there, tall and handsome, looking dark and mysterious, the likening could not help but present itself. He looked slightly different. His posture was straighter, his hair messy but in a fitting way. He wore no glasses. He looked stronger and wiser. But he was their Harry, their beloved Harry.  
  
He was the boy who'd flown with Ron to Hogwarts, the boy Ginny had had a crush on as young girl. He was the boy who wanted to be loved, who often times had a short temper but an endearing nature.  
  
Ginny could take it no longer. She had to assure herself of his solidity. She jumped to her feet and ignored the piercing eyes as she ran to him. She threw herself into his embrace and sighed in relief when he returned it.  
  
"Hey Gin" he whispered in her ear, and his voice, that deep familiar voice caused her to shiver a bit. In truth, he was an altogether frightening yet fascinating man.  
  
Following in suit Hagrid was rushing over to Harry, dwarfing him with his huge size. Sniffing and making no attempt to hold back tears he grabbed Harry and hugged him so hard Ginny was sure she heard his back crack.  
  
It was an altogether marvelous occasion as one by one the Order tearfully hugged him, Mrs. Weasley even kissed him on the forehead and Tonks all out kissed him on the lips.  
  
Ginny looked at Hermione, shocked, but Hermione merely laughed and Harry did as well. And what a wonderful laughter it was. The scene would've been sickeningly joyous was it not so sorely needed by all present. Even Chrome got up from his seat and offered Harry his hand, the two exchanging a strong hand shake.  
  
With tear filled eyes Dumbledore finally spoke. "Welcome home my dear boy."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Order never got to the subjects it had meant to discuss. Harry explained his resurrection from death and afterwards there was really no concentrating left to be done. The trio was left alone to go visit Remus in the hospital wing and then the headed down to their Hogwart's rooms.  
  
Sitting before a crackling fire place Ron was beaming as Hermione rested back against Harry who was seated on the floor, his back rested against the bed.  
  
"This calls for some butter beer!" Ron said merrily, pulling out three bottles from a freezer box in the corner of the room. Handing them out everyone twisted the caps open simultaneously, a loud hissing filling the room as the bubbles fizzed up to the top.  
  
"To Harry, for returning from the dead once again, pulling yet another incredible survival out of his arse!"  
  
"Hey, lets don't be talking about my arse!" Harry said with a fake scowl that caused them, all to laugh.  
  
"Mind if I talk about your arse Harry?" Hermione teased.  
  
"Not at all" Harry said with a wink.  
  
"To Harry!" Ron said once more.  
  
"To us" Harry said softly and they all clinked bottles and drank.  
  
Harry could not remember the last time he had enjoyed the taste of something... just over a month in reality, but it felt much  
  
After a while of sipping their butter beers Harry broke the silence. "How's Cho?" He asked Ron in a conversational manner.  
  
Ron frowned a little, but not in a depressed manner, more in the way of struggling for the right words. Hermione couldn't help but grin at this cute little habit of his. She hadn't really noticed it until they began dating in 6th year, after Harry's disappearance. Once she noticed it however, she realized he'd always done it. Whenever he struggled over an assignment or was trying to remember what he was about to say the little frown would submerge sure enough, and it made him look like the same little boy with the dirt on his nose whom she had met that fateful day on the Hogwarts Express.  
  
Finally Ron spoke, though his response seemed hardly satisfactory to all the struggle it appeared to have caused him. "I suppose she's tired, I mean, after last nights mission. I owled her after dinner but I still haven't gotten a response. We were broken up for a while you see... but, we're back together."  
  
Ron concluded with a quirky little smile and a sip of his butter beer.  
  
"You broke up?" Harry stuttered, seemingly disbelieving. "I would never have expected that... you two seemed quite close." Sensing Ron's awkwardness Harry suddenly regretted his outburst but was able to rapidly compensate with a suitable joke. "What madness though, don't tell me Ginny and Dean broke up too?"  
  
Hermione and Ron laughed in unison. "Seems like only a earthquake could crack those two apart... if that. They've been dating since... Ginny's forth year?" Hermione concluded, looking to Ron.  
  
She expected to see him in accord with her, but she found he was scowling slightly, though he didn't seem to realize he was doing it. "Yes, yes, the end of her forth year" Ron stated, clearly distracted.  
  
"Ron, don't tell me you're still against Ginny being with Dean?" Hermione asked, the confusion and disapproval clearly heard in her tone.  
  
"No... its not that" Ron said, his eyes still looking rather distant. He took a long drink from his bottle, finished it and then placing it off to the side. Leaning back on his elbows Hermione was beginning to think he wasn't going to finish his statement. She had been quite concerned for him as of late. Though she had been rather lost due to the event proceeding Harry's return, that did not make oblivious to Ron's pain nor his internal wounds which seemed to have greatly changed him.  
  
Hermione was afraid that he had been so severely afflicted that he had lost his mind a bit, but was relieved to find that this was not so when Ron finally spoke. He had merely been thinking. "Well, don't tell anyone else this... but I think Ginny fancies someone else."  
  
Hermione was taken aback by this, it had been far from what she expected to hear. She had been bracing herself for one of his long "big brother" speeches that had labeled him as some somewhat of a hypocrite in her mind.  
  
Harry on the other hand was far less affected by the new. He had only seen Ginny and Dean together on the rare occasion, as most of their dating had taken place after he ran away during the summer before sixth year, and he had been rather preoccupied with his own dating and other matters when he returned to notice Ginny and Dean's relationship. So he find himself only mildly interested and fighting to keep his attention from wandering away from Ron and onto the topic of Voldemort. The whole thing was like a throbbing pain in the back of his mind, but he fought to keep it at bay for at least a little while.  
  
"Who?" Hermione blurted out. "And why would you think that? Do you even have any real evidence? Even if she does, how do you know its serious?"  
  
Harry laughed out loud and in the midst of Ron and Hermione's semi intense conversation they turned to him, looking at him as if he was insane. "Hermione is truly the ever inquisitive one. One question at a time love, Ron looks like he might explode!"  
  
Ron laughed and Hermione gave him a sharp elbow in the side, but she couldn't help but laugh as well, giving him a quick kiss to show that no true offense was taken.  
  
"You're going to kiss him after that?" Ron roared, his face red from laughter. "If it were me you'd hex me into a pile of dust!"  
  
"Well I'd hope she wouldn't kiss you Ron" Harry said with mock seriousness and the trio was laughing once more.  
  
If walls had ears, a mind and a heart they surely would have died of heart attack- a factor of surprise at hearing laughter in its hallways when it had been so long absent. Especially the laughter of these particular three friends, one who had died and two who had also died, though not physically.  
  
Yet joy had returned temporarily, and the though the fire in the grate grew low and cast odd shadows off into the darkness, their laughter and high spirits filled the room with a sort of light that seemed to have been entirely extinguished.  
  
"Ron, can we get back on topic?" Hermione pleaded, pulling a pillow off the bed and using it to rest her head on Harry's lap.  
  
Ron sobered and stretched out, now lying flat on his back. "Well, I'm quite sure she's taken a liking to your brother." He said lazily, his tone accusatory as though it were Hermione's fault they were related.  
  
Hermione snorted with laughter. "Oh well then, I can see why you're not happy about that. He's not exactly the wholesome boy from next door. But Ron, Ginny's thought Chrome was gorgeous from the moment she set eyes upon him, it doesn't mean anything. I think you're being over protective again."  
  
"This is different though" Ron protested, and if Hermione knew Ron, the tips of his ears were growing red over where he lay in the dark. "She talks with him a lot now, and... and... she flirts with him!"  
  
Harry and Hermione laughed in unison as Ron got worked up.  
  
"What?!" He demanded, now sitting up. "What's so damned funny?"  
  
"You Ron, that's all" Harry said. "You're just you."  
  
"Of course I am... but you're not seeing the big picture!"  
  
Harry felt as though Ron ought to be madly flapping his arms to go along with his protestations, it just seemed oddly fitting.  
  
Hermione shifted from Harry's lap and sat up straight once more.  
  
"Ronald, Ginny is a big girl now, and she can make her own decisions" she said, a slight sting of venom in her voice as she defended her best girl friend.  
  
"Don't call me Ronald" was Ron's only response, his voice low and mumbling as he spoke. "You sound like Luna Lovegood."  
  
"Speaking of ol' Loony Lovegood, how's she been doing these days?" Harry said, and it was only then that Ron and Hermione noticed that Harry had shifted from his spot on the floor to the window where he sat over looking the gloomy, damp Hogwarts grounds.  
  
A drizzle of sleet was turning the formerly rigid winter scene into mush and the lake seemed to churn with disapproval. The scene was dismal at best and Harry fought feelings which ripped and tore at his very core, emotions which wanted to leak out like a black, staining ink through a crack in a glass bottle. Depression sought to find him once more, and he began to feel as though nothing had truly changer since his death. The world was still doomed, he was still expected to play savior and the burden accompanied by mental conflictions sought to tear him down.  
  
The tone of the room had transformed in an instant. In Ron and Hermione's own inner turmoil at Harry's return, they had failed to see what pain he was struggling against. Now Hermione observed him quietly, his question about Luna suddenly seeming quite pointless and hanging by thread in the air, the unanswered question drawing attention to an overbearing silence that seemed on the verge of collapse.  
  
On the verge of collapse... that seemed to be a most fitting description for where they all dwell. It was a sort of limbo, caught between joy and anguish and a sort of implosion causing tension rose up once more.  
  
Harry didn't seem to notice, he was silent, and Hermione thought it to be rather frightening that he had managed to cross the room without a sound. It was almost as if he truly were a ghost, and his haunted look seemed to seal the notion. In his new body, so alike his old yet designed for an immortal, he had acquired a new sort of grace he had never possessed in his previous mortal life... except perhaps on broomstick. Now he moved with graceful, fluid motions, he had the silent mannerisms of a cat prepared to pounce, slinking with sure footing and silent maneuvers closer towards its prey.  
  
She looked for the bags beneath his eyes that had been ever present before his death and found none. Yet if she looked at him closer in the poor lighting of the low, purring, flames, she saw a bluish silver beginning to form, an indication of sleepless nights once more. His brow was dark as ever, and he still maintained his often sinister look, almost mocking the fact that he was considered a hero to the light. The heavy bone above his eye created deep shadows over his eye sockets, and he would have looked hollow, skull like, had it not been for his eyes. His deep emerald eyes revealed a troubled soul, for try as he may, he could not extinguish to lights that lit in his eyes with emotion, at least, he could not hide them from Hermione.  
  
Ron suddenly yawned loudly, breaking the intensity of the moment in a characteristically Ron Weasley fashion. "Sorry to be kicking you both out, but I'm wiped out. All the excitement you know?" He said with a little grin that Harry returned. "Besides, I except the two of you will be wanting to get to... other things." His grin turned mischievous and Harry gave him a shove as he past on his way to the door.  
  
"See you tomorrow then?" Ron asked, his question perfectly understandable as Harry was developing a reputation for being there one minute, gone the next.  
  
"Right mate" Harry said, and placing his hand on the small of Hermione's back he gave Ron a little wave and directed Hermione out of the room.  
  
Closing the door Ron was sure to seal it with a spell, insuring that no more visitors come at the late hour. He placed his wand at his bedside and pulled off his shirt and shoes, throwing them haphazardly across the room. Flopping down onto his back Ron gave his pillow a quick fluff and settled in.  
  
"Too much drama for me" he yawned, and then he was fast asleep.  
  
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((REVIEW!!! Let me know what you thought, I have the next chapter already written and I will post it soon hopefully. Reviews quicken the pace ;). Thank you.))  
  
zidane3: Thank you for saying Harry's awesome, I'm sorry for the long wait, especially after a cliff hanger. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Thanks for taking the time to review.  
  
mrs-osbourne's-class: So, how was this chapter? A bit too dramatic? I suck with drama... but I tried. As for the typos... hehe, I'm a terrible speller and while I think it's widely agreed that me typing with glee is a very strange and nearly impossible image to imagine for most I know, it certainly is a funny one. I'd like to attribute many of the typos to the fact that I write most of my fic after midnight and I'm a bit sleepy. But I'd be lying if I said that's the whole story, for alas, I am a devastatingly bad speller.  
  
Mabelmione: First off, you're the best for always reviewing. Thank you for complimenting my fight scenes, I'm fortunate enough that writing them comes fairly naturally to me (though I'm not sure what that says about me as a person). Drama and romance on the other hand... I feel like writing all that is a bit rough. Hopefully not too rough however.  
  
Gryffindor620: You're another loyal reviewer, thanks. Did you like the way Harry and Hermione's uh- "reunion" worked out? Sorry that I didn't precisely update soon. I hope the length made up for it.  
  
AuntieC: I think my friends would agree, you shouldn't boost my ego so much! Thanks for the review, I hope my writing is truly as good as you make it sound, I do try to put a lot of thought into it. Again, I didn't quite update quickly, but I did update! That's gotta count for something.  
  
PadfootProngsMoony: Epic? Wow, epic is really a flattering adjective. I have never thought of it as an epic story before, but I suppose the trials and tribulations of the characters (as well as their rare victories) make it a bit of an epic. That is very encouraging. As for 24 Hours... I usually don't read anything but H/Hr (I'm narrow minded like that), but 24 Hours is an awesome exception that deserves all the credit that's given to it. Thanks for steering me in that direction, it really is a well written, but moreover, exciting piece of fan fiction. I hope the anticipation was too killing. Oh yes, and I love to hear people have put me on their favorites list. Thanks again.  
  
Phat Truffles: Thank you for both your praise and your criticism. Others pointed out my errors to me also, and I do apologize for missing them. I could get a beta but it would slow my updating process even more. I'm a bad speller and I write at a rather late time when my brain isn't too focused on grammar. However, I do hope to start paying better attention to such errors. Thank you.  
  
Harrysgirl5: Well, I think this chapter may have answered some questions you had. Thank you for your review and for saying the fic is awesome. I know I'm evil, but hopefully this chapter makes me a little less so. Thanks a thousand.  
  
Merlana: Alright, POTC rocks so lets don't apologize for getting caught up in it ;). Interesting question about me writing outside of fics... I do actually though I haven't actually published anything, online or otherwise. I spend quite a bit of time writing other things; any particular reason you ask? 


	9. Dreams, Love and Betrayal

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
((Greetings, I now offer you Chapter 9, another long read. So sit back, relax, and enjoy as everything gets worse and worse for our beloved characters.))  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Tell me not, in mournful numbers,  
  
Life is but an empty dream!  
  
For the soul is dead that slumbers,  
  
and things are not what they seem.  
  
Life is real! Life is earnest!  
  
And the grave is not its goal;  
  
Dust thou art; to dust returnest,  
  
Was not spoken of the soul."  
  
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione's eyes fluttered open from her slumber due to some unknown cause. Around her the walls were white and so bright she squinted her eyes in pain. She saw only the ceiling, with its bright modern looking lights, and she did now know where she was. She quickly sat up, growing nervous, a panicked feeling in the pit of her stomach. She grouped about for her wand but realized the pajamas she was wearing had no pockets. Nor were they her pajamas.  
  
"Something is definitely wrong" she thought, and using her steady logic she inhaled deeply, her eyes scanning the room for clues as to where she was and how she's gotten there. There was a heavy gray metal door on one wall, and it had a slit in it which was closed. To the left of the door was a silver window she could not see though. It was large and seemingly pointless, yet something semi recognizable stirred up even more panic in her.  
  
She pulled her feet over to the edge of the bed and placed them down on the cold, sparkling white tiles there. She felt a little shiver go over her. The thin cotton pajamas was wore hardly provided any warmth. The room was very small, no more than a cube with no more than her small cot like bed and a rigid looking chair bolted to the floor. Everything was white, bright, and spotless. It all gave the room a sense of coldness... it was so impersonal, so phony.  
  
She walked to the door and attempted to open it but to no avail. It was locked shut. She tried to push the slit in the door open, but of course, that was locked shut too. She felt the panic within mounting. "Where's Harry?" She wondered, chewing her bottom lip nervously. "I fell asleep with him... I don't even know how long ago."  
  
Knowing magic, any amount of time may have passed since she had been imprisoned. She suspected it to be the work of Voldemort... and yet, clean sterile cells was hardly his style. She expected an imprisonment by the dark lord to involve a dark, dingy dungeon with plenty of torture. How could have someone taken her in the night without her noticing.  
  
She felt the world spin as she lost control. The room seemed to be closing in on her. She raced to the window and banged on it screaming for help, for someone to come. She tried to shatter it with her fists, but to no avail. She broke down in sobs and soon found herself lying on the floor in a crumpled heap. Suddenly the door sprang open and she saw the terrified face of Ron peering in at her. He stepped inside and closed the door.  
  
"Ron!" She cried with joy, not bothering to brush away her tears. She threw her arms around him tightly, reveling in his familiarity. His hug as warm, but expressed none of the panic she felt.  
  
When they separated his face was still scared, but calm and even. "They finally said I could visit you." He said simply.  
  
"Who? What do you mean finally? How long have we been here? Where is here what happened?"  
  
Ron looked ready to explode once more as he was bombarded by questions. Suddenly his expression changed to one of sympathy and sorrow.  
  
"Oh Hermione, how can you not know? They said you were making progress!"  
  
"Who's they?!" She spat, suddenly angry, not liking his pity.  
  
"The doctors. I can't... this is just so hard." He swallowed back tears. "I don't want to go though this again. Hermione... after Harry's death you, you just couldn't cope. You started having hallucinations that he had returned. It's been months now, and all you keep talking about is some disc, and the House of the Heavens. You must know none of those things truly exist?"  
  
His eyes were pleading but Hermione could not accept it. "No... no... he's alive, he is... HE'S ALIVE!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"He's alive!" She mumbled over and over again tossing and turning. Harry was quickly awaken and grabbed her by the shoulders, gently, and then more forcefully shaking her awake.  
  
"Hermione, it's okay!" He whispered in hushed and hurried tones. As her eyes flickered open he gently brushed her hair back, still holding her close.  
  
"He's alive" she said once more, though fully awake, her eyes wild and darting about. He kissed her firmly on the forehead to assure her of his presence and she began to relax, the tension draining from her body. The pace of her breathing began to steady as she slowly sank back down into the mattress.  
  
"Harry..." she whimpered, her dark brown eyes looked into his deep green ones.  
  
"It's okay" he whispered once more kissing her to dissolve any of her doubts about his solidity before her eyes. Tears silently steamed down her cheeks, barely gleaming from her skin in the blackness of the room.  
  
Harry rolled slowly onto his back, taking Hermione with him so that her head was positioned resting on his chest, her tears soaking the thin white fabric of his shirt. They remained like that for some time, neither speaking.  
  
Finally Hermione broke the silence, her voice sounding congested from her tears. "It's just so hard... why must it be so difficult?" It was the question behind their very being.  
  
Harry said nothing which suited Hermione well as she was not quite finished unburdening herself of life's sorrows. "If our lives had been normal witch and wizard lives, everything would be so changed. How you ever stopped to consider how changed everything could be if Tom Marvolo Riddle was never born? Of course you have, what a ridiculous question."  
  
She sniffed and straightened out so that they were both more comfortable. She began to speak again, and her voice was quick and excited, she was rambling as she often did in difficult situations. "Right now I bet we'd both be off at some Universities somewhere. I'd be training to be a Medi Witch, and you'd probably be playing Quidditch for some team. But we'd still be together, that wouldn't change..."  
  
"And after that?" Harry asked, "After we graduated?"  
  
"Marry and start a family?" She said, her response half a question and half a statement.  
  
Harry grinned though she couldn't tell in the dark and her head was positioned facing away from him. Start a family... the thought had never crossed his mind, that someday he could have a normal life; he could actually be a part of his own family.  
  
"We can still have those things" he said slowly. "Just not now, but someday... we will." He hoped she believed him, because he desperately wanted to believe himself, he truly wanted to believe it. More than anything he needed to believe it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Another Order meeting came up quickly and there were only a few dull days before Harry, Hermione, Ron and the rest of the gang were back at the long rectangular table which sat them during their discussions.  
  
Dumbledore was late (as usual, it almost seemed as though he waited just to make a dramatic entrance) and Snape was the only other one not present. Suddenly the doors flew open and his the stone walls with such force that the impact created an echoing noise that resonated off the walls of the hall. Snape stepped in, his pace brisk and urgent, his black robes billowing out behind him.  
  
"Where's Dumbledore?" He asked, his voice as unpleasant and monotone as ever.  
  
"Not here" was Harry's simple response, he felt quite unfortunate for being unable to shake his juvenile hatred for the Slytherin head.  
  
Snape gave him a scowl of disapproval meant to be scorching and threatening but Harry's facial expressions remained unchanged. "Read this" he spat to no one specifically, throwing down a copy of the Daily Prophet with a loud slap.  
  
Harry picked up the newspaper as it landed before him and noticed out of the corner of his eye as other scrambled out of the room to find their own copies. Over his shoulder Ron and Hermione read the section clearly indicated by the bold headline at the top.  
  
"DEATH EATERS STRIKE AGAIN! This time they attack a wizarding village- EMA sent in but none returned!"  
  
"At approximately 2:00 this morning Death Eaters invaded the small wizarding village of Darvensport, setting houses aflame, and liberally administering Unforgivable Curses on innocent bystanders. It was at 2:17 that Minister Blake received an urgent owl from Mayor Edna Smart pleading for the dispatch of EMA troops to quell the raid.  
  
"'I immediately ordered the release of 500 soldiers into the area, planning on sending reinforcements as soon as possible' reported Minister Blake at this morning's 5:00 press conference. 'It was only shortly after that I sent in additional troops only to receive news that the town was destroyed.'  
  
"Destroyed means that, according to the most recent estimate, almost 200 citizens have been left dead, 256 EMA soldiers have fallen in the line of action and the remaining 600 citizens and soldiers have been taken as prisoners."  
  
"The news on this catastrophic event is still coming in and we here at the Daily Prophet pledge to keep our readers up to date. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the victims, prisoners and their families in this time of loss and sorrow. Minister Blake is expected to address the public today at noon."  
  
The article continued, and was accompanied by numerous others written on the same topic- the innocent, unprepared village of Davensport.  
  
Harry growled in frustration, his echo rumbling the walls with fury. He leaned forward and ran his fingers roughly though his hair. He was trembling with fury. Ron stepped back nervously and Hermione attempted to lay a soothing hand on his shoulder but he pulled away from her, standing up and pacing about the room, Ron and Hermoine the only ones present to watch.  
  
"DAMN IT!" He shouted, his voice so loud and dripping with venom that Ron headed for the door slowly and inconspicuously. Harry was muttering incoherently, his face turning red. He could see nothing and feel nothing but his rage and malice. He kicked at a chair and forgetting his own strength, sent it spiraling into a wall were in broke with a loud crack, the splinters clattering to the floor. His fury was still not suppressed and he lashed out once more, a stone column his victim this time. A combination of adrenaline an unconsciously added magic caused the rock to break with the blow, gravel added to the splintered wood on the floor. He grabbed at his hand and let out a low, bark of a yell before crumbling to his knees on the floor.  
  
"HARRY!" Hermione yelled with panic, forgetting her fear at his temper and rushing to his side. He was doubled over, not moving, his breathing uneven a jagged. Ron approached Harry also, though more slowly, with a great deal of caution.  
  
"Harry, please, sit up" Hermione begged, gently rubbing his back. Slowly Harry resurfaced from the floor, his expression unreadable. He was still clutching his hand and when Hermione looked, she saw it was dripping with blood.  
  
"Oh Harry, you moron" she said, half sobbed half laughed. She gently took his hand in her own and cast an incantation that healed the gash across his palm. Harry arose to his feet and his face was set with a clear sense of focus and determination. He took long meaningful strides across the room. He picked up the newspaper and tucked it under his arm with the gentleness that constituted his true nature. He then headed for the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked tentatively, stopping him at the threshold.  
  
He did not turn, keeping his back to both her and Ron. "I have business to attend to." His voice was neither warm nor cold and with that he continued his trek off into the corridor.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry had an exact end in mind, a precise destination. That destination was the Headmaster's office. As he approached the gargoyle that signified the passageway into Dumbledore's office Snape shifted out from the shadows, his expression bitter though not angry.  
  
"The headmaster is not in" Snape stated, walking towards Harry.  
  
"Surprise surprise" Harry muttered with unjustified acrimony. "Where is he?"  
  
"Talking with that fool of a Minister" Snape replied and for once the two men could share in their feelings regarding a subject.  
  
"Why weren't you given warning to this attack?" Harry asked quite abruptly as the question suddenly popped into his mind. "You are still working as spy for Voldemort are you not?"  
  
Snape suddenly looked uncomfortable as they turned into the next corridor, both inadvertently walking towards the Great Hall.  
  
"First of all, don't use the Dark Lord's name you damned fool" Snape spat, and then calming, he continued to speak in his dull monotone voice. "I was... it seems that the Dark Lord is onto my ploy for he did not summon me last night. His redemption for my treachery will be great. I suspect I may gain close to your status on his hit list Potter."  
  
If Snape had expected a reaction from Harry he got none. "So basically, we have a fool of a minister beckoning open war with the EMA, and we have no connections remaining to survey the plans of the ever psychotic Tom Riddle." Harry smirked a bit, snorting with sarcastic laughter. "Just grand."  
  
Snape's eyes slithered to the side where he was able to observe Harry as they walked, then dating back to the corridor before them. "The resistance is falling apart Mr. Potter. Do not be foolish enough to have hope. Despite what Albus Dumbledore may say, there is no hope. I am of the opinion that there never was."  
  
Opening the door to the Great Hall Snape slid inside, leaving Harry alone in the hallway.  
  
"Then I suspect there is much work left to be done" Harry muttered to nobody in particular. With a snap and flurry of robes Harry spun on his heel with the intent of tracking down Dumbledore.  
  
Thus it was rather coincidental that Dumbledore found him, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder as the tense young man passed him in the corridor, preoccupied by thought.  
  
Dumbledore's eyes were solemn and filled with despair but also determination. "Mr. Potter, I think it is very prudent that we have a prolonged chat in my office."  
  
Harry nodded and together they set off, their pace brisk and their minds full.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Seated in Dumbledore's office they skipped all small talk and polite gestures and cut straight to the chase.  
  
"Harry, I know you are aware of last night's events. First of all, you should not blame yourself. In my experience with you, you tend to pile guilt and wearisome burdens onto yourself. But no good can come of that. Am I making myself clear?"  
  
Harry was hesitant. How could it not be his fault? Had he defeated Voldemort, none of this would have transpired. Yet his mentor was right, there was only ruin to be found in self hatred and regret. Harry nodded, straightening in his chair.  
  
"Very good Harry, very good. Now then, let us get directly to the subject. It is time we swing into full battle mode Harry. Pieces have moved into their places and they cannot be reversed without some crucial attacks that will require a whole change of sorts. We will become more than agents Harry, we must become soldiers."  
  
Dumbledore watched as Harry nodded in accord and he felt his heart clench. Harry was prepared, more than men three times his age could ever be. Yet he was so young, too young to carry the burdens of the world, too young to do what Dumbledore was about to ask of him. However, Dumbledore had tried to protect Harry in the past and it only led to harm. He needed to set his affection and morals aside and get down to the dirty work.  
  
"Harry, I want you to serve as General of our own sort of army. It will be a defense force, I have no intentions of taking the offensive. We will need recruits, training, and a well devised plan. Assign however you need to assist you. I myself will be remain as a chief general in all matters, but I fear I cannot be present in all matters. My presence in the castle may decrease as time passes. You see, only I can deal with outside issues regarding the Ministry and other such affairs. It is unfortunate but a fact. And Harry, to be quite honest there is no one I trust more than you to settle the matters of this castle. You are young, yes. But you have faced much evil and you have proved your resilience time and time again."  
  
Dumbledore paused, giving Harry a meaningful look.  
  
Harry shifted uncomfortably and then stood up, pacing shortly and then resigning himself to the window where snow was softly descending from the heavens. "Hogwarts is no longer safe." He stated, not turning to face the persistent gave that watched him so closely.  
  
"You are correct" Dumbledore responded, his voice revealing no emotion.  
  
"Then we must send the students home. Yet, home is not necessarily safe either."  
  
Dumbledore had a quick response to Harry's thinking. "No, but the Ministry has set up a safe hold at the Havenirk Castle. The castle is quite ancient and protected by strong magic as well as a multitude off troops. I daresay it is the only thing the Ministry has done right. Families can go there if their area falls under attack. Still, there is the hazard of students being unable to escape. Port keys have been distributed, but it may not be enough."  
  
"How do they know a port key will not be taken by the enemy?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled a bit, a thin, pressed smile. "That in itself is a bit of genius, if I do say so myself. You see, I developed the idea shortly after my graduation from Hogwarts. Provided there are no apparation barriers around, those who have sworn a pledge to the ministry, an unbreakable pledge that results in a full body bind when broken, can use the port key."  
  
"Like Hermione's list for DA in fifth year" Harry commented thoughtfully. "Yet they only work in areas unbound by apparation barriers."  
  
"Yes, precisely why they won't work here" Dumbledore said in a brisk voice, leaning back in his chair as he spoke. "Students have a better chance of survival if they can portkey away from danger with their families."  
  
"What of those who have no family?" Harry asked, turning towards Dumbledore and matching his gaze. Harry felt an important swell in chest reminding him the importance of representing such children as he himself had been one. "Will they be forced to fend for themselves if danger comes, activating the Port Key if their lucky and then heading to a lonely old castle where they may not know anyone?"  
  
Dumbledore tilted his head downward, his face intense with thought. That factor had not occurred to him. "What do you suggest Mr. Potter?"  
  
Harry turned away once more. "Gryffindor Manor" he said somewhat cryptically.  
  
"Ah, your home, the house of the noble Godric Gryffindor. A safe location to be sure, but you left it deserted for over a month. What sort of condition do you suspect it will be in?"  
  
"Same as when I left. Time freezes when it is left unoccupied by an heir of Gryffindor."  
  
Dumbeldore chuckled. "Alas, in my old age I am becoming so senile I forget such facts. You seem to have sorted that Mr. Potter. Any further comments before you set about your work? I'll have the school evacuated tomorrow morning if you can prepare Gryffindor Manor to accommodate 6 students by then."  
  
"I can. I do have a few more questions for you though. First, we will need many more recruits to secure this castle under attack. Students 18 years of age are already being accepted into the EMA. I suggest we recruit them into our service instead."  
  
Dumbledore looked troubled by this. For sure he had already considered it on his own, and though he had concluded it was necessary it still tugged at his heart strings. "Yes, yes, very well" was all he managed and Harry paused, allowing him to recover.  
  
"As a final point, it has been brought to my attention that Snape has been found out. We need eyes around the enemy, I seem to be no longer connected to him... he's blocked me somehow."  
  
Dumbledore nodded in deep agreement. "That is most certainly true Mr. Potter. Keep in mind however, the task is a treacherous one. Voldemort does not act kindly, even on his servants, and he will not hesitate to torture and kill a follower for the slightest mistake." Dumbledore peered at Harry over his glasses. "And he will make them kill innocents."  
  
Harry felt slightly paled by all this, and a bit light headed. It was a terrible task to ask of anyone, but he felt the necessity of it in his heart.  
  
"Can you think of anyone suitable for such a task?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
Harry nodded slowly, gripping the window ledge for support.  
  
"So be it. Now, I think we are finished here? I regret to do this, yet it is necessary. I'm leaving for urgent foreign business. I leave much in your hands. Do not take it all upon yourself, I'm sure you'll find help shall always present itself."  
  
Harry nodded as his mentor rose to his feet. Crossing the room and heading for the door Harry stopped and extended his hand to his father like figure. They exchanged a firm handshake. "Good luck professor." Harry said his voice sullen.  
  
"You too Harry, you too."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The snow had stopped falling and the sun was out, melting away the white fluff into puddles of mud across the grounds. Though it was still cold out, it had warmed considerably and Hermione opened the window to enjoy the fresh air. She sat on the window seat, breathing in the frigid outdoors, her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them for additional warmth. She tried to relax, letting her eyes travel the endless blue sky, marveling at its contrast with the black winter trees that clawed up into her vision. Suddenly a dot in the distance drew her attention and she focused her eyes into it until she recognized it as a messenger owl. With slow and graceful motions the white and grey speckled bird landed beside her on the window sill. She removed the letter from its leg and read:  
  
Hermione-  
  
The school must be evacuated of students by tomorrow morning. All 7th year students are needed to stay and supplement forces, so I need you to recruit those willing by tonight. I'll send Ginny to help you shortly.  
  
Love, Harry  
  
Tears stung at her eyes, products of her bleeding heart which mourned the evacuation of the splendid castle. She took a sharp breath to regain composure and neatly folded the letter, placing it in her pocket. She decided to wait for Ginny to come to her, planning in the meantime.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny flung the newspaper across the Owlery. "Enough of that" she said with a look of disdain.  
  
"I was reading that" Chrome said lazily, slowly rising to his feet while brushing dirt from his jeans.  
  
"Exactly my point, we shouldn't be obsessing over it." Her words seemed rather hypocritical though, for as she spoke she was clearly still thinking about what had happened judging by the distant look in her eyes. She absently tucked a stray piece of her soft red hair behind her ear, and for a moment Chrome found himself thinking her beautiful. He would have scolded himself for it, but he wasn't the type for self chastisement. "Besides" he thought, "alone for so long, it's inevitable that my mind would... wander." But he knew better than to act upon it. First of all, her friends and family would murder him if he did, and second, she already had a boyfriend. Cheating had never been an issue for him in the past, but the present was a different matter.  
  
Blinking hard his expression barely changed as he attempted to shift his frame of mind. "Well, I expect things will be changing quickly around here soon."  
  
Ginny looked unsettled by this, and visibly paled. "I bet they'll send all the students home... do you think they'll send me home too?" Her eyes showed a genuine fear, and Chrome saw what was truly disturbing her. The attack was disconcerting enough, but the idea of being made to turn away from the battle was something that was clearly making her feel even more at odds.  
  
"Ginny, you faced the Death Eater club mission, and fought again just the other day. You're a member of the Order. They aren't going to turn you away, hell; they haven't even turned me away yet." He gave her a little grin that was half charming and half devious. "Considering what a reputation I have around here, you'd think they would have sent me back to jail long ago."  
  
Ginny laughed a little, but still looked troubled.  
  
Chrome stretched, raising his arms far above his head and yawned loudly. He wasn't sure what else to say and thought about heading for the door.  
  
"What was jail like?" Ginny said, quite randomly.  
  
Chrome's expression darkened even more than previously and he shuffled his feet a bit. "It's everything they say it is" was his simple response.  
  
Ginny was glad to think of something else, and she focused her eyes on his stormy face and tired to look beyond his unreadable countenance. "That good huh?" She joked with a little smirk.  
  
He replied with a nod and yawned once more.  
  
"It's not that early you know. For all the yawning you're doing."  
  
"I know" he replied wearily, "but I'm more of a night person."  
  
"Me too" was Ginny's short response and silence filled the room once more. Ginny felt and unexpected tear trickle down her cheek and she made to wipe it away before he noticed but was too late.  
  
He said nothing but instead crossed the room quietly and to her surprise she felt his hand on her arm. She looked up to see a look of questioning on his face. She took the opportunity to step into his embrace and as she felt him hug her back it was soothing, like the warm hug of a close friend. It was odd coming from him who was neither warm nor close.  
  
Just then the door swung open and they stepped apart, not in a conspicuous manner, but rather to see who was approaching. Harry stepped in looking stern, his face set and grim. Suddenly he split a sly little grin which reminded Ginny why she couldn't help but think he was handsome.  
  
"What're you two up to?" He teased, not really suspecting anything of them.  
  
"We were starting a hot affair before you burst in" Chrome said with his typical sarcasm.  
  
"Ginny, go see Hermione, she's in her room. You need to help her with something." Harry said abruptly, remembering why he was there.  
  
Ginny nodded and went out the door without looking back, leaving Harry and Chrome behind.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The sun had long since set and Hermione sat at her desk writing out some final details to the school's evacuation, relying on the dim light of the melting candle before her. The day had been busy and very taxing on her patience. Now that she was in a more secluded setting she felt slightly more settled, though not significantly so.  
  
She felt two hands rest down on her shoulders and she immediately jumped in alarm before realizing that it was Harry. He gently massaged her tight and pained muscles and she let her quill drop to the desk top from her hand and melted into the back of the chair.  
  
"Long day huh?" He whispered in her ear and she shivered slightly, nodding. She reached back and grabbed a hold of his hands, then turning around to face him. "Harry, how are you?" She asked, her eyes lit with concern.  
  
He stepped back and sat down onto the bed. His face was unmistakably angry; he didn't bother to hide his emotions before her. "If I had just... if I had killed him..."  
  
"Harry, you couldn't have! He was immortal! You know that!" She rushed to his side in despair, not wanting him to increase his own burden.  
  
"I know..." Harry sighed and then laid back on the bed, running his fingers through his hair. "I just can't get it out of mind... I'm in charge of this whole operation right now while Dumbledore's away..."  
  
Hermione stood up angrily, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed. "You're what?"  
  
"I've been assigned General of the resistance, Dumbledore remains Chief General, but now that he's away..."  
  
"Harry, why would he make you do this? You already have enough on your plate without assuming this entire operation!"  
  
Harry was now standing as well, looking equally angry. "I know that Hermione, but what else am I supposed to do? I messed this up! I need to fix it, no one else!"  
  
"Harry that's lunacy, it's not as if you created Voldemort! None of this is your fault!"  
  
Harry grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione cried out, near tears. "Don't go!"  
  
Harry turned around and his expression was softer. "I need to bring the students to Gryffindor Manor, see that they're all settled in. I won't be back until tomorrow morning." He turned back towards the door and then faltered for a moment. "I was right about one thing Hermione. Only I can fix this."  
  
He then went out through the door, closing it quietly behind him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Supporters of the Order were starting to enter during the night. Ginny was shivering in the cold night air as she stood just outside the castle entrance checking off people and telling where to go as they entered.  
  
She finally saw the face she'd been looking for all evening, her long boyfriend Dean Thomas.  
  
"Hey, what's up baby!" He said with a charming little smile.  
  
"I'm freezing my ass off!" She whined with a little laugh, leaping into his arms.  
  
"Well that's no good!" He teased with a wink.  
  
They exchanged a kiss and then she found herself studying him skeptically. "What took you so long?"  
  
"Aw, yeah know Ginn, things at the ministry have been hell. What, with the EMA and all."  
  
"EMA? I thought the Order would be more important to you than any lame ass attempt to form a resistance."  
  
Dean suddenly looked tight and angry. "The Ministry is very important to me, as is the EMA Ginny. Both should be important to you as well."  
  
Ginny's jaw dropped in shock. "You can't be serious?! Do you have any clue what this so called 'army' could do to everything we've fought and lost for?!"  
  
Dean threw his bag onto the ground and grabbed Ginny be the shoulders, forcing her to look into his eyes. "You really have no idea do you? Without the EMA the ministry is powerless!"  
  
"Not if they have a little faith in Dumbledore!" Ginny gasped. "You can't tell them about the Order Dean!" She suddenly shouted, panicking as she realized how deeply he supported the EMA. If Dean spilled his guts about all the people avoiding the EMA draft for the Order there would be devastating consequences.  
  
Dean clenched his jaw. "You're infuriating" he choked and she pulled away from his grip.  
  
Her eyes showed hurt and anger. She had not expected her seeing him would proceed as it had.  
  
Dean clenched his fists up and groaned loudly. "Alright, let's just forget about this for now. Now's not the time to fight, especially since we have seen each other in such a long time." His eyes grew soft and endearing. "And I've missed you Ginny."  
  
Ginny felt herself melting a bit and she nodded. "Well, lets go inside then" she agreed, and he took a hold of her hand as they walked together.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry observed the worried and frightened faces of the six young children before him. Three of them were just first years, their eyes big and innocent, helplessly relying on Harry's protection. There was also a forth year Ravenclaw who held the hand of one of the first year Ravenclaws in the attempt to comfort her. Harry had been informed the two were sisters.  
  
One of the first years was a bleach blonde haired Hufflepuff with rosy cheeks that were now paling and curious bright blue eyes that reminded Harry of Dumbledore's. The third of the first years was a Slytherin, which Harry was at first not pleased with until Dumbledore explained the boy's situation. His name was Adam and his parents had been Death Eaters who betrayed Voldemort and paid with their lives. Adam now watched Harry with nervous grey eyes, his light brown hair rather immaculate looking considering his age and the fact that it was early morning, not even dawn yet.  
  
The last two were fifth year girl and sixth year boy from Gryffindor, both whom looked reluctant to leave the castle, wanting to stay and fight as the seventh year students were. The boy was looking at Harry with a particularly stormy expression and Harry wished he had brought Hermione along... he wasn't very good at dealing with children.  
  
"Well then" Harry began, standing before the group. "Do any of you know who I am?"  
  
They all shook their heads no and Harry took in a short breathe before recommencing. "I am Harry Potter. I know you all think I'm dead, but as you see, I'm not. I'm granting you sanction in my home, for as you know Hogwarts is no longer safe. I think you'll find my manor a rather splendid place to stay at, though hopefully everything will return to normal soon."  
  
"What's normal?" He thought angrily. "Normal for me? I sure hope not because I'd sure as hell hate for these kids to experience a single day of my 'normal'."  
  
Harry pulled a fake smile and looked back at the small crowd before him. The two Gryffindors were looking at him with uncovered awe, their faces lit up with hope. All the other children looked far less afraid as well, and Harry was pleased he could offer them at least that brief solace.  
  
"Shall we go then?" He asked, clearing his throat. The children nodded eagerly. "Very well. Take a handful of Floo dust, step in and say 'Gryffindor Manor'. Got it?"  
  
Harry counted as each child passed him by, disappearing in a roar of green flames. After the fifth one was out of sight he turned to the last to see him trying to sneak out the door. It was the Gryffindor sixth year and Harry was not surprised at the poor escape attempt. Raising one hand Harry needn't mutter so much as a word to have the boy frozen in his tracks. A quick swish of his arm had the boy turned around and facing him.  
  
"You want to fight don't you?" Harry asked in a monotone voice.  
  
The boy, finding he could talk but was still unable to move his legs replied in the affirmative, hopeful that the great Harry Potter would understand.  
  
"What's your name?" Harry asked, quietly drawing nearer.  
  
"Bryce, Bryce Carney" the boy stuttered, suddenly feeling intimidated by Harry's display of power, his quiet but deliberate motions and the look of death in his eyes.  
  
"Well Bryce, why do you want to stay and fight?"  
  
"To protect the castle! To avenge my parents murders! To protect my friends and those I love!" Bryce's response was loud strong and riveting, but Harry appeared unmoved.  
  
"And how do you plan to do that if you die in, oh say the first minute?" Harry asked, a dark look in his eyes.  
  
"I wouldn't!" The boy spat, looking hurt.  
  
"Oh you wouldn't? When black robes swarm on the horizon and all you see is green, when everyone is falling beside you, dragons pour flames from the sky and Dementors feast on the souls of men what makes you so sure you will still be standing?"  
  
Bryce could hear his heart pound. He could see fire in Harry's eyes, a sort of flame that placed conviction in every one of his words. Bryce could see that Harry knew of the horrors in which he spoke, and that made Harry all the more intimidating. He had no response for Harry's questions.  
  
"In a year this war may yet rage on, and it is then that we will need you. Train for a year, prepare yourself fully. And then, when you are called upon, you will serve us well. Don't be willing to sacrifice your life just yet."  
  
Bryce felt the spell release him, and he bowed his head slightly in defeat.  
  
"I think you'll find my home ideal for training. If you will come along."  
  
Bryce rose his tilted his head to meet Harry's powerful gaze. Straightening out he nodded his head and took long, confident strides to the fire place. Stepping inside he was off with a roar of flames.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione awoke slowly, trying to remember where she was. Her neck and back was sore and as she sat up she realized that she'd fallen asleep at her desk. She groaned in discomfort and stretched with a long, loud yawn. She then noticed a rapping at her door, the reason for her awakening.  
  
She crossed the cold stone floor barefooted, feeling each chill stab at her as she walked on.  
  
Opening the door she saw Ron, already showered and dressed. "What the hell Ron?" She asked groggily and he merely grinned at her. "We're supposed to be evacuating the school this morning. Remember?"  
  
"Oh shit, why did I have to go and fall asleep?"  
  
Ron gave her a smug grin, amused by her foul temper. "We have 20 minutes yet, just meet me down in the Great Hall."  
  
Hermione nodded and then closed the door in his face, earning a laugh out of the tall red head.  
  
Ron proceeded to the Great Hall in a casual manner, strolling along easily, and glad to not have to rush for once. He suddenly felt a hand at the crook of his arm and he looked down to see Cho smiling shyly at him. He bent down and exchanged a quick kiss with her as they linked arms and continued walking.  
  
"I assume you got here last night?" Ron asked with a warm smile.  
  
"Yes, I told Ginny to let you know but I see you never got that message. She was probably too busy being off snoging with Dean."  
  
Ron turned slightly green and Cho laughed, she loved how easy it was to get a rise out of him.  
  
Cho suddenly turned serious. "We all received a briefing last night from your parents." She stopped walking and turned Ron towards her. "We were told that Harry's alive. Is that true?"  
  
She looked doubtful and concerned, rather frightened to hear his answer. He eased her tension by replying that it was indeed true, Harry had tricked death once more.  
  
She smiled and kissed Ron happily. "That's wonderful Ron! I mean, granted that's the understatement of the century, but still! Wow... they explained it to us, but I still don't quite understand the whole thing. Still, if it's true what does all that matter. And I'm just so happy for you also Ron."  
  
Ron gave her a childish little grin, infinitely pleased that she was always thinking about him, that someone was concerned for HIS emotions, however self centered it might seem. "Well, Harry's not here right now, but I'm sure you'll see plenty of him soon enough." Ron laughed a little and they began to walk once more.  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"Oh you know, off doing Harry stuff. I never seem to know what the entails. The man has about 1,000 things happening at once, I can never keep it all straight in my head. He skulks about all hours of the day, I believe he never sleeps." Ron laughed, hoping he didn't sound bitter. He would never want to trade places with Harry as he had often wished in his childhood. Money and fame were nothing when they came with the world's burdens and the haunting, ever present ghost of death.  
  
They were finally at the doors to the Great Hall and as they entered they changed the topic to the more professional matters at hand. Both knew it would be a long day.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Welcome, to Gryffindor Manor" Harry said, grinning at the awe in the faces of his audience. They stood in the entrance hall, with its splendid grand staircase, lavish décor and massive gold and red chandelier that hung from the ceiling.  
  
The young Hufflepuff boy dropped his shrunken trunk to the floor with a loud clatter, suddenly turning extremely red with embarrassment.  
  
Harry smiled kindly at him. "How about I show you all to your rooms where you may unpack you trunks. Then I'll give you the grand tour. That's guaranteed to take some time."  
  
They all laughed at this obvious statement and headed for the grand staircase, following Harry's lead.  
  
Harry began to pass his own room and then hesitated a moment. He gave it a gentle push and saw that he had not locked it. "Continue down the hallway, I'll be with you in a moment."  
  
The kids merely shrugged and did what was asked of them. Once they were out of sight Harry opened the intricately detailed oak doors, slipping inside them and then closing them firmly behind him. He was submerged in complete darkness, but this did not unnerve him. He knew the room well and pointed towards the fire place, igniting it at once. The fire let off a low murmur of light in the room and Harry quickly navigated his way about, making sure everything was in place. His pain killing potions still sat in their glass containers, collecting dust. His quill lay haphazardly discarded on a sheet of paper, a trail of dried black ink left in its wake on a scrap of paper. Harry felt a chill of familiarity creep down his spine. It was in this room that he had faced his darkest hours of loneliness, and as he observed its dark foreboding décor he saw the room for what it had truly been. Not a haven from the world, but a hellish isolation that reflected a torn soul.  
  
Wanting nothing more to do with such memories, he extinguished the flames in the fire and pulled the doors closed behind with a loud thump, locking them with a decisive click.  
  
The kids turned and jumped as he caught up to them, clearly not expecting his approach. He did not bother to comfort them with a false smile, he merely opened the doors with a swish of his hand. "Choose a room" he commanded and the kids eagerly set to the task.  
  
Harry leaned against the wall as he waited. He was beginning to grow tired. He rather missed being immortal for that fact that he never grew cold, hungry or weary. Mortality required so much more effort. His eyes were closed and his head tilted when he realized he ought to show Bryce his training facility before the others were ready for the tour.  
  
Rapping on Bryce's door he was greeted by a smiling version of the formerly reluctant young man. Harry stepped inside Bryce's room and realized why Bryce was so excited. The room wasn't enormous but it boasted a heavy wooden framed bed, a handsome dresser, a desk, a fire place and a window which over looked... the Quidditch pitch. Harry had added the pitch when the crime business was running slow one month. He had been spying in a slow moving club that had yielded no benefits and he had decided in his spare time to build the Quidditch pitch.  
  
Harry was amused by Bryce's pleasure at this and Harry promised to show him at a later date, taking in Bryce's display of décor in the meantime. Bryce had wasted no time in putting up a Quidditch poster of Puddlemere United, as well as a muggle movie poster. On the desk Harry noted a picture of what he assumed to be the boy's deceased parents and another picture of a girl which Harry was willing to guess was Bryce's girlfriend. Harry quickly shifted back to the matter at hand.  
  
"Now follow me, if you're going to train you need to see my equipment." Bryce sobered, his green eyes growing dark. As they walked side by side down the hall Harry wondered if he would have been like Bryce in sixth year... had it not been for the prophecy and his running away. Bryce was serious and devoted, Harry could sense the bravery in him. Yet he was not exposed to violence and death to the same degree as Harry had been at his age, and he did not have the same cloudy disturbance hanging over him at all times as Harry had.  
  
Harry touched his hand to a large door at the end of the hall, unlocking it. The door crept open with a loud creak and Harry grinned. "I haven't been in here for a while. I think you'll find it has more than you need. Let me show you around."  
  
Harry cast a quick "lumos" on the room, bringing light into the previously blackened room. Bryce's jaw dropped as he took in the sight that greeted his eyes. The room was lined with various weapons- swords, bows and arrows, maces, everything from medieval to modern. The room looked like a sort of gym, exercise equipment in one area, empty space in another.  
  
Harry gave a brief explanation of each device. Once they'd neared the empty space Harry walked over to what appeared to be a rectangular piece of glass floating in mid air. "Now, this here is really awesome" Harry said with a grin. "To activate it is simple, and what it does is duel with you. You send spells at it and it fires back at random. The spells are harmless, but the point is to try and avoid them. It promotes agility as well as aim."  
  
After a brief demonstration Harry was hurrying Bryce back to the rest of the group. "Well then, on to the rest of the Manor."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was mid afternoon when Hermione decided she was on the verge of insanity. The castle had been evacuated, but to say it had gone off without a hitch would be a laughable lie. Numerous students attempted to stay behind for the fight, others pulled practical jokes to feed off the fear of the already frightened. There were arguments, fireworks, tears, screams and many a student who forgot something they needed and ran back to fetch it. The Order members were beside themselves, the teachers were beside themselves and Hermione was mentally strangling every last one of them.  
  
Now she was faced with the task of signing all the new arrivals to the just deserted rooms of the castle. It should have been a simple task but for that couples wanted to be together as did, siblings and friends. Then there was the "do not put togethers" for even amongst allies of a cause there were enemies. People kept changing their mind, complaining about there accommodations, on and on and on. One would think they were staying at a hotel and not the headquarters of a resistance force.  
  
Hermione was desperate for Harry to return, after all, he was the "general". He could use his grand leadership title to organize the hellish mess that had massed about her.  
  
"Excuse me? Are you Miss Granger?" Hermione turned to the whiny, nasally voice to see a balding wizard with large glasses and purple robes approaching her.  
  
"Yes, that's me" she responded rather snappishly.  
  
"My room is on a really... bad side of the castle for me. You see, I can't sleep when the moon is shining through the window, and..."  
  
He was cut off by a young girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. "Hermione Granger? Yeah, my boyfriend is here and I really need to be in the same room as him, so..."  
  
"How old are you?" Hermione protested, quite sure the girl was a seventh year.  
  
"Hey you!" Bellowed another voice of a middle aged woman with sloppy graying hair. "Why is my room so close to the lavatories? How can I sleep when..."  
  
Aware that a crowd was gathering about her of angry people Hermione decided to make a break for it, backing away from their approach until she reached the door that brought her into the Order's section of the castle. Rapidly ducking inside she slammed the door closed behind her and set off down the hall, not watching where she was going.  
  
She felt a hard jolt as she crashed into someone and grabbed the person before they fell from the collision. "Oh Ginny!" She cried out, "I'm terribly sorry, I wasn't even watching where I was going, are you alright?"  
  
"Yes, yes, fine. Bloody hell, they've all gone mad haven't they?"  
  
Hermione grinned wearily, "yes, I believe so, I just fear I may be joining them soon."  
  
"You look positively exhausted! Come let's just step into your room here, you need some rest Hermione!"  
  
Hermione acquiesced, relieved to return to the secure and private confines of her room. She flopped down onto the bed as Ginny settled into a chair.  
  
"Ugh, I couldn't take a minute more of it!" Hermione groaned, covering her face with her hands.  
  
"I know what you mean," Ginny noted absently. "I was trying to escape too. Then I went looking for Dean... I can't seem to find him anywhere."  
  
"How could you in all this chaos?" Hermione jested, noting that Ginny looked quite fatigued also.  
  
Just then a knock sounded at the door and even as Hermione called out for them to enter she began formulating plans to kill the intruder at first sight. Chrome swung the door open loudly, allowing it to crash against the wall.  
  
"Must you do torture on my pounding head Chrome?" Hermione asked, covering her head with a pillow.  
  
He grinned at her, seemingly pleased. "How about I don't answer that one. Uh... Ginny, your boyfriend is down in the Great Hall making a big fuss about seeing you. I figured I'd come get you to shut him up. He's acting rather... odd."  
  
Ginny grew concerned. "What's up?"  
  
"I dunno" Chrome sighed. "I suggest you go find out though."  
  
"Good luck with the maniacs" Hermione muttered from under the pillow.  
  
"Plan on coming out anytime soon?" Chrome asked, moving out of Ginny's way to grant her passage through the door.  
  
"Never" Hermione said dully, not moving.  
  
"Ah ha, should have known. Well then, later." With that he followed Ginny down the hall.  
  
Ginny suddenly turned to him, her face etched with concern. "Do you think something happened? I mean, he seemed fine last night."  
  
"Really now?" Chrome commented dryly, waggling an eyebrow in a suggestive manner.  
  
"Don't be as ass" she scolded, picking up her pace.  
  
As they neared the Great Hall Ginny could already hear Dean calling her name.  
  
"Ginny? Where the hell is she? I have important news to tell her..."  
  
Ginny pushed the doors open loudly and ran over to him, her expression filled with anger.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" She spat.  
  
Dean wasn't paying her any heed however. His eyes were narrow and he fixated his gaze on something behind her.  
  
"Oh, I see what's happening here" he muttered, his tone angry.  
  
Ginny spun around to see Chrome standing not far behind her talking with Bill. Turning back to Dean, her face lit with fury she glowered at him. "What in the bloody hell are you on about?"  
  
"I should've known that Irish bastard was no good from the moment I set eyes upon him. You're having an affair with him aren't you?"  
  
Ginny couldn't even reply, her throat making clicking noises as she attempted to restrain herself from choking him. Jumping to that conclusion was so preposterous that it made her head whirl. They were on their third year of dating, she couldn't believe he would make such wild accusations.  
  
Dean just nodded as if her silence affirmed his belief. Then his face mellowed and it was only then that she noticed the wild look in his eye, his panicked breathing. Something was not right. "Dean what..."  
  
He cut her off as he dropped down onto a table bench. "Ginny, I can forgive you, but in return, you must forgive me."  
  
"What?" Ginny sputtered and she suddenly realized they were beginning to draw an audience.  
  
His big, beautiful eyes sought hers, so familiar, at one time filled with affection. Now they looked scared and failed to maintain steady contact with hers. "I know you don't believe in the EMA... but they had to know..."  
  
Ginny took a step back and felt Bill put two comforting hands on her shoulders. The hall was silent and she could feel the eyes of peering viewers bore into her.  
  
Dean licked his lips and continued. "They had to know about the Order, about this entire force. They need all the help they can get... they had to know that Harry's back. That's where I went this morning. Last night I made up my mind Ginny- they had to know."  
  
Ginny felt her head spin. She could already feel the repercussions of it all weighing down on her. "How could he?!" Her mind raged. "How could he break the trust of the Order, of Harry... of Dumbledore... hell, how could he break MY trust?!" She heard a collection of gasps, curses and exclamations go up in the room. She spun on her heel and ran full force for the exit.  
  
"Ginny- it's for the best!" She heard him yell and then she heard a loud whack and he didn't yell out again.  
  
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((PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I WANT TO GET TO 75!!! Of course that's ideal, but I won't punish anyone if I don't. I just thrive off of reviews. I'm begging, please review!))  
  
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Mabelmione: Glad all your waiting paid off! This chapter took a little while to, but as you can see very long. Your review made my day to hear that you were so happy about my update. Thanks for taking the time to review.  
  
PadfootProngsMoony: Hehe, if you'll look back at "The Darkest Hours" I think you'll see that it is VERY possible for me to have a bad chapter. I do hope these ones are better by a long shot. I'm glad you liked the romance and emotion because I'm a bit fearful at times that I suck at it and only have a mind for violence and action. So thank you for reassuring me on that component. I'm happy to know that your friend would be eager to read this as well, it boosts my ego to imagine that people out there are actually discussing my fic, or at least thinking about it when they aren't just sitting there reading it (of course my friends would probably urge you NOT to boost my ego any greater than it already is ;)). I do believe I emailed you- my memory is worse than Gilderoy Lockheart's after the memory charm backfired- my email is sax555@MSN.com if you don't have it.  
  
Merlana: Thanks for the compliment. I AM currently working on a piece of original fiction (horror/ romance) if you ever want to read it let me know. Anyhow, yes, last chapter was very long... hopefully not too long, this one is long as well. All that I have written thus far is almost novel length, so as you can tell, I've been doing a lot of writing. Thanks for reading it!  
  
Ears91: Hang in there on the Chrome/ Ginny- I won't say much about it, but it's a possibility looming in the distance. I'm glad to hear from you, I look forward to your loyal reviewing. Thanks. (oh and yes, Harry really is collecting scars).  
  
Gryffindor260: You are the best, you always review!!! Thanks a million, I hope you liked this chapter- I think it's next chapter when Harry finally gets to kick a little butt again. Very exciting ;).  
  
Mrs-ousbournes-class: Your review provided some very nice compliments and thoughts that I truly appreciated. Skipping a TV show for reading is not an honor to be taken lightly as I have certain shows I just love. I appreciate all your support, thanks again. 


	10. Farewell

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
(((Alright, I didn't die... I'm back! Now for an explanation: my computer completely crashed, about 50 pages of this fic along with it. The other day we got it to work for just long enough to save "Ashes of the Phoenix" and a couple other things, and now it's back to malfunctioning again. Let's just say I fixed 56 viruses and it still isn't working. Oh joy. But now I'm back with chapter 10 and my thank-you messages are at the end. I hope you all enjoy this, and with any luck the next chapter will be coming very soon.)))  
  
"Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!  
  
A farewell, and then forever!  
  
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,  
  
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.  
  
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,  
  
While the star of hope she leaves him?  
  
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me,  
  
Dark despair around benights me."  
  
-Robert Burns,  
  
Harry arrived back at Hogwarts just as the sun was going down. He sent Arabella Figgs to look after the kids, she was the first one he could think of for the job. Strict but clever, and being a squib she couldn't be of much use in defending the castle... besides the fact that she was growing much older. Harry was surprised by what a toll six Hogwarts students had taken on him and he looked forward to getting some shut eye.  
  
The hallways were crowed with people and he sought the shadows and back corridors to remained un noticed. For all his fatigue and depression he was happy about one thing: quite the force had showed up. It looked like they might have a fighting chance, but there was still much work to be done.  
  
He sought out Hermione's room, though he was ready to pass out, he felt the need to make amends for their prior dispute. He leaned against the door letting it gradually creep open until he was inside. His initial observation was that it was very dark inside, but as he stepped inside he found that Hermione was indeed there and fully awake. She stood by her window, unmoving and it was as if she hadn't even heard him enter.  
  
"Hermione?" He asked softly, hoping not to startle her too much. She jumped slightly and then turned to him. He could see that her face was tired and he feared that they would both age ten years before the end of the month. Her expression was worried and she ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. Her caught her, surprised by her warm greeting and he suddenly noted that she was shaking slightly.  
  
"Harry" she muttered against him. "Something has happened."  
  
It was like a tidal wave repressed between the single oak door. Dean sat alone in the darkness, silently assured that he had made the right decision. That was before the door came crashing open.  
  
If Harry Potter had seemed menacing before his supposed death he now seemed like a god with a hot temper, his all knowing eyes pointed at the suddenly scared Dean who nearly pissed his pants as the door smashed against the stone wall of he dorm.  
  
The very vision of a man whom he had seen the coffin of was frightening enough but Harry was also different now... he had no glasses and he looked taller, stronger as well. Garbed in all black Harry looked more like the grim reaper than like any savior he'd ever known of at that very moment.  
  
In Harry's eyes held a fiery intensity which bore into the back of Dean's skull making him feel sick and dizzy all of a sudden. Yet when his voice came it was even, cold, and so calm in unnerved Dean more than anything else.  
  
"H-Harry..." he stuttered.  
  
"I trusted you Thomas" Harry said in the frighteningly even voice, moving ever nearer Dean who's back was pressed against the wall, his cold sweat of fear soaking through his cotton tee shirt. "Remember when we used to be room mates here? It wasn't too long ago when you really think about it... I had hoped I could consider you a friend. For if not, what else may I call you but an enemy?" Harry took a quick, graceful stride over to the window where Dean had been sitting.  
  
"I- I had to tell the minister Harry... I'm obligated...."  
  
"Wrong" Harry snapped leaving no room for argument. "Arthur Weasley would be obligated, Percy Weasley would be obligated, Tonks would be obligated. Yet they are not. Why you may ask? Loyalty Dean. Perhaps the sorting hat mistook you for a Gryffindor. I think at heart you are a Slytherin."  
  
"No, Harry, please believe me..."  
  
"I'm through with believing and trusting you Dean. This is inexcusable." Suddenly Harry's eyes seemed to change. The fire instantly died and in its stead was blackness, black coldness. The eyes of a dead man. "I have killed before Dean. I could kill again. But I won't if only for Ginny's sake and for the memory of a friendship I was once blind enough to think existed. Leave Dean, go back to your precious ministry and never come back."  
  
Dean was shaking violently now as rage, fear and desperation arose in him. A raw sound croaked from his throat, a rasp of speechlessness. "You forgave Percy Weasley, forgive me! Why not me Harry! Is that brown haired boy paying you off? I knew he'd go for Ginny..." gritting his teeth he punched the wall tearing the skin from his knuckles. With a loud cry he brought his fist to his mouth, sucking on his stinging wounds, looking like a helpless infant for a moment.  
  
"You dug your own grave Thomas" Harry spat, refraining from the courtesy of using first names once more. The display was pitiful and with all else of life's pressures he didn't need a fussing baby.  
  
"To hell with you Potter! I hope the dark lord gets you!" He squeaked angrily, lying in his blind fury. "I hope you know what it's like to loose everything as I have!"  
  
Harry had begun to turn from the blubbering prat when he heard the words. They hit him like a frying pan to the face. He turned slowly, his muscles tense. "You know nothing about losing." He began to raise his hand with a trembling fury when he felt a gentle but commanding hand grasp the back of his robes.  
  
"Oh, thank god, Hermione... talk some sense into him! He's gone mad!" Dean shouted.  
  
"Fuck off Dean" Hermione spat. With a swish of her wand he was unconscious on the cold stone floor where once years ago he had sat with the very men he'd betrayed and talked of happier things.  
  
Ginny was a mess of emotions. Things which had seemed concrete were no more and when she ran into Ron she broke down into a fit of sobs. Ron had guided her back to his room with brotherly kindness and as she cried he rubbed her back, asking no questions and posing only comfort.  
  
A silver streak of moonlight fell across her pale, tear streaked face, her red hair spread about her and mixing in with the darkness of the bed covers.  
  
Once her tears had subsided she drew in a shaky breathe. "Everything is wrong" she whispered and Ron said nothing. He had no words of comfort for in his weakening heart he knew she was right. Everything was wrong.  
  
Harry didn't want to deal with anything else. He took a quick glimpse at Dean's unconscious form and then turned from the room clutching Hermione's hand in his own. He had no words for anyone he passed and only fluttered a hand vaguely in the direction of the room to suggest to a passing Order member that something ought to be done with the unconscious form of Dean Thomas.  
  
Once in his room Harry closed the door behind him and leaned against it for a moment. With a weary sigh he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the boot from his feet. Unbuttoning his shirt he tossed it way to he lay in only an under shirt and pants. He crawled slowly under the neatly pressed white sheets resting his pounding head against a soft white pillow. Hermione stood a moment, observing the contrast of his raven hair against the white pillow. She suddenly became aware of how young he still was... how young they all were. He looked so vulnerable and innocent as he lay stiffly beneath the sheets, his back turned to her. He was not a savior; he was a young man with too many burdens.  
  
She crawled into the bed beside him resting an arm on his side whilst leaning her forehead against his back, observing every fragile, human breathe he took.  
  
Ginny had long since fallen asleep in Ron's bed and now Ron was reading a Quidditch magazine by the healthy glow of a newly started fire.  
  
Suddenly the door banged open causing Ron to jump and his heart to race.  
  
"Have you seen my damned watch?" Chrome asked in a rather loud voice.  
  
Ron frantically gestured for Chrome to shut up, pointing to Ginny asleep on the bed.  
  
Chrome grimaced a little. "Sorry mate."  
  
"Ever think to knock?" Ron asked snappishly but soon after realized Chrome wasn't paying any attention to a word from his mouth. He was focused on Ginny his face looking surprisingly sympathetic.  
  
Ron rose to his feet and grabbed a hold of Chrome's arm and walking out of the room. He carefully closed the door and then turned to face Chrome.  
  
"I haven't seen your watch."  
  
Chrome seemed to snap out of some sort of trance and just nodded quickly and turned to go.  
  
"Wait- Chrome..." Ron inhaled deeply, not quite sure what he even meant to say. "You... you can't have her."  
  
Chrome merely nodded again his face not changing for a moment and then looking slightly sad. "I know" he confirmed and then resumed his way down the hall.  
  
When Harry awoke in the morning he felt an overwhelming sense of dread about what the day had in store for him. The sun was just rising and he wanted to pull up the covers and snuggle beneath them until he could fall back into a comfortable, mind numbing sleep. He knew he couldn't however and so as he rolled to one side he found himself facing Hermione.  
  
She was in her sleep yet even in sleep she looked worried. He kissed her lightly on the forehead not wanting to wake her but knowing he'd have to eventually. It pained his heart that she had to live through such times and he wondered if he'd been selfish to love her. He had died once already and he knew if he was to die again she wouldn't be able to bear it. Then was the fact that they could not have a normal relationship for a long time. He just hoped the burdens placed on them wouldn't tear them apart.  
  
He forced himself to wake her up and watched as her eyes fluttered and slowly opened. "Let me sleep Harry" she whined, but she was half joking as she was already beginning to sit up. She had been dreaming of fire and death and was glad to be awake. Although- being awake wasn't much better than her dreams.  
  
Harry had immediately headed her off for the shower but was out shortly. When they were ready to go Harry stopped her from leaving for a moment. He looked down into her eyes and saw that know it all fire that was so stubborn and would never give up. He was glad she was on their side. He smiled at her for a moment. "I'm sorry" he simply stated.  
  
She raised an eyebrow at him as though confused by his words.  
  
"I just am" he muttered and then kissing her they turned to leave and face the day.  
  
"You had my bloody watch the whole time!" Chrome shouted at Ron as he sat in the crowded Great Hall eating. The house elves must had worked themselves to near death judging by the amounts of food that had to be prepared for the masses of people in the hall. Various colors of robes and clothing made the hall a rainbow of humans. Their chatter was loud and excited and Chrome thought the place looked more like a vacation spot than the headquarters of the resistance force.  
  
"What watch?" Ron asked through a mouthful of porridge.  
  
"The watch on your damned wrist you prat" he growled as he sat down on the bench across from Ron, sitting between two young witches who were sending him appraising looks.  
  
"Oh" Ron replied with a grin which looked suspiciously like a smirk. Taking it off he tossed it to Chrome who put it back on his wrist. He then began to fill his plate with food, suddenly feeling ravenous.  
  
"How's Ginny?" Chrome asked in an off hand manner and the witches who had been unsuccessfully attempting to grab his attention turned away.  
  
Ron cut his eyes up from his food to Chrome, casting him a dangerous glare that was meant to scare him off the subject.  
  
"Oh drop it Ron, I know your protective and all but it's just a question. Besides, I'm leaving today. At least do me the courtesy of telling me that much."  
  
"Leaving?" Ron asked with surprise.  
  
Chrome just nodded and then tried to brush it aside. "So..." he beckoned "will you tell me?"  
  
"She's tired and a bit heartbroken. She'll live." Ron responded, still curious about Chrome's whole leaving comment.  
  
With a nod Chrome got to his feet and left the hall in his typical abrupt fashion.  
  
It was noon when Ron Hermione and Harry found themselves having a conference in the Order's meeting hall. The three of them sat around the table looking small in comparison to the long, wide rectangle table.  
  
"Okay, I called you here for a specific reason" Harry said, getting directly to the subject. "I need you two to work as commanders for this force. I know the whole Order will be in charge of different squads and so forth, but you need to do one up on that. Ron, I want you to take whoever you'll need and start working on defense strategies. Hermione, I need you to start rationing what foods and supplies we have. If we get barricaded in here we'll need lots of dried food and such to last the time out. Now, between the three of us... we need to devise some sort of training program. Most of these people are as ignorant of warfare as little children. They need to be ready for when the time comes. Ron, what do you think?"  
  
Ron's expression was unusually focused on the subject and he spoke immediately. "We'll need a few forces trained for broom riding and aerial battle. We can take everyone who was ever really good at Quidditch for that and have Cho train them. We need people who have any skill in potions starting to make pain relieving potions and whatever else we'll need immediately. Snape can lead them. Than maybe McGonagal and a few others can train people in good fighting spells. Tonks can train them in dueling... anyone else in the Order can teach them battle tactics... I'm probably missing something."  
  
Harry smiled. "I think you covered most of it. I have a few side plans in motion as we speak and so does Dumbledore. We'll need to get the wheels moving on all this as soon as possible. Summon an Order meeting for this afternoon." Harry felt slightly lighter. Ron had come up with some very good points and perhaps they would stand a fighting chance with such a training regiment.  
  
After a scorching shower Ginny felt slightly better. She decided to visit her brother Charlie, as he had always been able to make her feel better. She knocked on the door to his room and she heard a rustle of noise before he finally opened the door. He smiled sympathetically when he saw her. His mother had told him what had happened and had been trying to find Ginny all morning. He couldn't help but feel as though it was a better thing for Ginny that Mrs. Weasley hadn't found her.  
  
He opened the door to let her in. As she stepped in she gasped. The room was entirely empty except the furniture and in the center of the room were two suitcases. She swiveled around her mouth gaping with surprise. "Where... what... are you going someplace?"  
  
He fidgeted a bit. He had told everyone else that morning but suddenly realized he had never told his little sister who was asleep at the time. "I'm going to Romania Ginny."  
  
"What?! Why Charlie? Are you mad?"  
  
He grinned a little thinking she reminded him of a cross between Ron and the twins at times. She had the twin's mischievous and Ron's honesty. "I'm recruiting dragon trainers and dragons to bring to Hogwarts for the battle. We'll need as much help as we can and as I'm sure you recall from the village attack, they have dragons of their own. They'll light our brooms aflame and make any aerial attack we had planned into a joke if we don't have dragons of our own."  
  
Ginny nodded in understanding but looked sad still. "I'll miss you" she said.  
  
He hugged her feeling guilty though he knew his cause for leaving was just. "It'll be alright Ginny. As you well know I'm not the only one leaving anyways. There's a few others Harry and Dumbledore have sent out on tasks."  
  
"Why would I know that?" Ginny asked, confused.  
  
Charlie looked equally baffled. "Well, your friend Chrome's leaving isn't he? I'm not really sure why, but Ron told me that just an hour ago."  
  
Ginny's jaw dropped and she ran from the room.  
  
The castle was bustling with activity as Ron summoned the Order members. He and Harry were outside walking side by side as they headed for Hagrid's Hut. It was warm out for a late February day and Ron had unpinned his clock and now held it draped over his arm. Various groups of people sat or walked about the grounds enjoying the good weather and a pick up game of Quidditch had mounted at the Quidditch pitch.  
  
Harry leapt up the few steps leading to Hagrids door and knocked. He had a fleeting moment of déjà vu as he glanced at Ron standing behind him. He could remember so many trips of this sort to visit Hagrid during their days at Hogwarts. On nice days he and Ron would often escape the common room where Hermione would be glued to her books and visit Hagrid, crossing the beautiful green grounds casually cracking jokes and waving to friends as they passed them along the way. Life was never simple, but now life back them seemed like pure to bliss in comparison to now.  
  
Hagrid answered and smiled broadly when he saw Ron and Harry. He gave them both spine cracking hugs and then offered them some tea, which they refused.  
  
"Hagrid, will you be ready to do what I spoke of earlier when the time comes?" Harry asked leaving Ron confused.  
  
"Of course 'Arry, you know me" he said with a grin pouring himself some tea and grabbing a hard biscuit he had made earlier that morning. Ron briefly wondered if Olympus could bear his food.  
  
"Speaking of you wife, where if she Hagrid?" Ron asked only realizing a moment later that no one had said anything about her out loud.  
  
Both Harry and Hagrid gave him confused looks before Hagrid responded that she was out taking a stroll.  
  
"Oh" Ron nodded, his eyes looking down wards towards the floor as if thinking other thoughts. "We actually came to tell you there's going to be an Order meeting." He explained, regaining his momentarily lost wits. "You need to..."  
  
He suddenly trailed off looking over towards the small oval window where Harry was standing. He has moved across the room with an unnerving silence yet again and Ron felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Harry was leaning against the window sill his posture carrying both grace and a sort of carefree attitude which seemed to both compliment and contrast one another.  
  
"What is it Harry?" Ron asked, Hagrid only just realizing that Harry had moved.  
  
"It's an owl" Harry replied in a low tone. "It's from the Ministry."  
  
Chrome slung his backpack over his shoulder and took a quick glance around. Everything was packed, which didn't mount to much and he inhaled a satisfied breath before turning for the door. He opened the door and took a quick step out without looking back. He went down the hall and did not look back. He was at the doors which led out to the grounds and he reached out to open the door when he heard a voice cry out at him. He could feel the metal of the handle in his hand, his muscles ready to pull the door open and leave, but the voice beckoned him back and though he knew he shouldn't he obeyed its command.  
  
"Chrome Granger, don't even think of stepping out that door."  
  
Chrome turned reluctantly and faced an angry looking Ginny Weasley.  
  
"Where in the bloody hell do you think your going?!" She yelled, her face a mixture of emotions. Chrome was suddenly very glad there was nobody else in sight to view the loud and obvious exchange.  
  
"I'm leaving" he said plainly and turned once more, his brain screaming that if he didn't go he would regret it.  
  
"Leaving?" She gasped, rapidly descending the stair case where she stood and running to his side. She grabbed his arm as if to prevent him from opening the door.  
  
He refused to make eye contact with her. "Right- places to go, things to do. It's been lovely knowing you, despite your fiery temper you really are a charmer. Good bye."  
  
Ginny didn't know what to say. He had fooled her... all of them into thinking that he gave two damns about everything happening. It was Dean all over again. Yet she didn't know why she should care. Perhaps she had come to consider him a friend. He had been a bit of consolation despite his rough and impersonal ways... even that small bit of consolation she did not want to forfeit. All she could choke out was a teary, "why?"  
  
He felt guilty and cursed Hermione, Dumbledore, Ginny and all the rest for forcing this new burden of guilt into his life.  
  
"I can't tell you" he responded, meeting her eyes for the first time.  
  
"Can't or won't?" She asked angrily.  
  
"I don't know" he responded in his monotone voice.  
  
"Does, does Hermione even know?"  
  
"No" he said shortly, the guilt jabbing at him again.  
  
"No?" She let out a callous laugh at the absurdity of it all. "You told Ron but not Hermione? What the hell is going through your mind?"  
  
"Nobody was meant to know" he said, his voice adopting an icy edge. "It slipped out when I was speaking with Ron this morning. I had hoped it would be a comfort to him."  
  
"Your leaving would be a comfort to him?" She asked, her eyes and voice matching in their puzzled expression, a lone, cold tear fleeing from her eye.  
  
"Yes in a manner of speaking. Enough, I have to go. Now." He stepped though the door pulling free of her grasp and closed the door firmly before him, emptying his mind and leaving for what would probably be forever.  
  
Hermione was discussing the training plan with Minerva McGonagal when Ginny Weasley came crashing into the Order's meeting hall. Hermione took a quick glance at the younger girl's stricken, tear stained face and immediately excused herself. She led Ginny out into the hallway.  
  
"What's happened?" Hermione asked, her heart racing with anticipation of the worst.  
  
"Chrome's left" Ginny said, trying to regain her wits, not knowing what was wrong with her. Two events so close together had left her ill equipped to handle even the smallest thing at this point.  
  
Hermione's brown eyes widened. "Oh gods... he's finally taken off. I suppose I had expected it to happen at one point or another. I thought he'd at least tell me." She felt dizzy for a moment. She backed against the wall and slid down it until she was sitting, feeling dazed.  
  
"Why would Ron want him to go?" Ginny whispered to herself.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked, not quite hearing her.  
  
"It's nothing" Ginny blurted out.  
  
They sat on the floor in silence for a moment, side by side and wrapped up in their own thoughts.  
  
"I'm going to find him" Hermione suddenly blurted out, her voice strong and determined. She rose to her feet looking calm and collected. "And when I do he's going to regret ever having left."  
  
The Order was finally settled about the large rectangular table. Muttering between members echoed throughout the hall as the candles flickered about in their own sort of rhythmic dance. The door opened and Harry entered the hall. Everyone went silent and gave him their attention, noting Ron who followed at his heel. Ron looked pale and frightened and Mrs. Weasley elbowed her husband muttering in his ear, "I do hope he's alright."  
  
Harry on the other hand looked entirely expressionless, his face as unmoving as a marble sculpture. He stood where Dumbledore normally stood and cleared his voice noisily. He plummeted straight into the subject and did not allow for any of the pauses that Dumbledore typically offered until the end.  
  
When he was seemingly done there was a long silence and Ron looked at him, expectation gleaming in his eyes. There was something else to be said yet Harry hesitated to mention it.  
  
"I have been summoned" he faltered a moment, his brief respite attracting more attention than his words. "I have been summoned to the Ministry of Magic. They have gotten word that I am alive and a leader of this resistance movement and they wish for me to work as a commander in the EMA."  
  
Angry cries filled the hall. Mrs. Weasley jumped to her feet instantly going red in the face.  
  
"I wish I'd killed Dean Thomas the moment I'd met him!" Tonks screamed, ignorant of Ginny's squirming in her seat.  
  
It took Harry some time to calm the protests. Once he'd regained everyone's attention he resumed. "Thereby I must leave for a short period of time. I hope to get the Ministry sorted out on these matters and be back quickly. In the meantime Hermione and Ron will assume my duties until Dumbledore had returned... which I expect should be soon. This meeting is concluded."  
  
The Order erupted with noise. They couldn't believe Harry was really going. They would have grabbed him and tried to force him to see reason but he had exited the room immediately. The chaos was contained in the room, shouts and tears of frustration covering the dim echo of a closing door as Ginny, Ron and Hermione all slipped from the hall.  
  
"I'll find him" Hermione said softly, her stride the quick walk of a commanding person. Ron nodded hesitantly and lightly took a hold of Ginny's arm, stopping her from walking any further. The two red heads watched as Hermione disappeared around the corner, the dying embers of the sun creating hazy patches of light to see her by.  
  
Ron cleared his throat awkwardly. "I need a drink... something strong." He turned for the kitchens avoiding Ginny's gaze. He walked at a near run but could not seem to shake Ginny whom still followed him. He cast her little side glances from time to time knowing she had something on her mind to accuse him for. He could just sense it coming as he had grown to sense it from his mother.  
  
Finally she spoke, her voice carrying a barely subdued edge of anger. "Ron, why would you want Chrome to leave?"  
  
Ron was now entering the kitchen where he had a plan to stuff his mouth with food so he wouldn't have to fall prey to her answer hunting. Unfortunately for him he didn't get so far. Ginny grabbed his arm and spun him around to face her. He suddenly felt like a rabbit caught under the gave of a wolf. He froze up.  
  
"Well?" She demanded impatiently.  
  
"Don't blame his leaving on me Gin, I didn't tell him nor ask him to leave. He left on his own stubborn will."  
  
"That wasn't my question Ron. I asked you why you wanted him to leave."  
  
He bit his lip indecisively, averting his gave for a moment and then looking back again. "I'd come to think he fancied you" he stuttered.  
  
Ginny felt her face grow red with anger, she was sick of the overprotective brother bit. "We were friends Ron!"  
  
He had now turned and was accepting food from a house elf along with a bottle of fire whiskey. "Yes, you were, but I do think he loved you." When he turned back his eyes were sad and tired looking and they begged her to forgive and forget it all.  
  
Ginny had no words for him. She looked a bit lost as if she didn't know where she was. "Oh damn" she muttered, and then she left.  
  
Hermione had looked everywhere for Harry and was still unable to find him. She walked out onto the grounds in search of him. She faintly thought of searching down by the lake, knowing of its lure to the troubled at difficult times. As she approached the water edge she gazed across its silver surface, glittering in the light of a rising moon. She turned to face the moon and saw it sitting fat and full atop the castle, pierced by the black spires of its glorious towers. It was then that she finally saw him. It was merely his outline against the moon but she knew it was him at once. Who else would stand on the roof top?  
  
Harry's black silhouette was unmoving and she quickly raced towards the school, pulling her robe closer about her to fight the cold wind. She located the staircase to which spiraled upwards towards the roof. She came out at a small oval room of a small tower and then stepped onto the roof. The wind tore at her and she suddenly felt disoriented as she took a glimpse down at the ground far beneath her. She had always hated heights. She swayed a bit and felt her heart stop. Yet then a warm hand reached out and steadied her.  
  
"You shouldn't have followed me up here" Harry muttered softly in her ear from behind her.  
  
She shivered but did not turn to look at him. "I'll follow you wherever you go Harry. I love you."  
  
"I know" he whispered in her ear, his voice sounding both sad and sweet, two adjectives which summed him up in her mind. "I wish you wouldn't though."  
  
"Wish I wouldn't what Harry, follow you or love you?"  
  
"Both" he answered honestly.  
  
"Do you really?" She said, expressionless.  
  
He paused a moment and turned her in his arms so she could now face him. "In my selfish heart I do not wish that. Yet, in my mind I know I should."  
  
"Don't you dare protect me Harry Potter" she said angrily, her eyes aflame. "I know the risks there are to knowing you never mind loving you but I'd live all those risks a thousand times over if I had to."  
  
His eyes were still sad, but proud. He gave her a weak smile. "Let's get off this frigging roof then."  
  
"Not until you say you won't leave" she begged, gripping his robes tightly.  
  
"I have to go. You can't follow, but I will be back. I promise."  
  
She remembered a promise like this before. A promise before he had died, a promise that he would always be with her. In truth he had kept his word, and she had to trust him once more.  
  
((So there you have it. Stay tuned for action next chapter and the insane drama that has been that last five chapters or so comes to an end.... Somewhat, and we move onto the next half of this epic. This story is going to be pretty long. Hang in there.))  
  
Gryffindor620: As you can tell, Dean was somewhat spared. I was very tempted to unleash the fury of Harry on him, but I decided that Harry beating Dean up might taint his good guy status somewhat. I hope you enjoyed the chapter nevertheless. Next chapter Harry does get to beat a few people up, so you definitely have that to look forward to.  
  
Mabelmione: The action is coming to some degree in the next chapter, and as I turn onto the next half of the story, the entire thing will really make a turn from romance/drama to action/adventure. I'm certainly looking forward to it. Though, it's not like I'll end the drama/ romance entirely, it'll just have to take second chair as I wrap up this two story fic. I was thinking about extending it into a trilogy, but I don't really see any point to it. Thanks for reviewing as always.  
  
PadfootProngs&Moony: I'm glad you love this fic so much, and I apologize greatly for the long waiting period for an update. As I said, I almost lost all that I've written, and had that happened I probably would have stopped writing this fic. Which may have been cruel, but I hate rewriting stuff. Anyhow, I think it's great that so many people are agreeable with the Chrome/Ginny thing (all though, as you can see it's in the midst of a little trouble presently). Anyhow, I hadn't been leaning that way until Siriuslyobsessed kind of suggested it to me, and I'm very glad she did. We'll just have to see how that all work out, even I don't know yet. Thanks for your awesome reviews as always.  
  
Merlana: I'd definitely like to read your original story! I can't remember if I've emailed you yet.... My memory is absolutely horrendous. I almost lost my original story in the whole computer catastrophe, but it's been spared quite fortunately. As for the dream sequence in the last chapter, it's so cool that people liked it because I was afraid that it might be cliché or something. Writing dream sequences is an art some writers are very gifted in, and unfortunately I'm not one of those, so writing a fitting dream is always a great challenge. Thanks for your reviews.  
  
TimidOne: Sorry if Harry is pissing you off, I tend to be a little heavy handed with the Harry angst at times. At least he's not storming around and yelling at his friends... yet. Just kidding, I'm glad you like the story and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, though it was no more happy than the last, and Harry was still... uh... stormy. Hehe, I appreciated your review.  
  
Devinj2000: Thank you for your support and compliment. And, that was indeed Chrome who hit Dean although I left it a little open ended. It was a joy to have Chrome give Dean the beat down. Thanks again.  
  
John cruiz: Wow, the best story you ever read? That's an awesome compliment, thank you very much. I'm sorry the update took so long, my computer just had to crash on me at such a bad time. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, with any luck the next one will be better.  
  
Samantha: Thanks for the review. It was Chrome who hit Dean, but as I told Devinj2000, I did leave it a little open ended, I suppose just for the sake of the reader's speculation. As for more H/Hr shipping, I'm not a very good romance writer I usually classify myself as being better at action and violence, but I think this chapter did lend a few decent Harry Hermione moments. At least... I hope it did.  
  
Mrs-osborne's-class: A great, well rounded review as usual. I really do appreciate your feedback, I always look forward to hearing from you. Chapter ten may have been long in the coming, but I hope it was worthwhile. As I've said, the story is about to make a sort of transition within the next few chapters, and I have an actual plot in mind loaded with a number a twists and turns that I hope you will really enjoy and stay tuned for. Thanks again.  
  
Leon: I know how frustrating it must have been that I didn't update at #75, but I had been planning to update long before that had my computer not been down. Anyhow, it was very frustrating to me not being able to post all my hard work as I had wanted to. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! 


	11. Friends and Foes

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
((A/N: A couple important things I'd like to mention. First off, I'm sorry if last chapter was confusing to read, fanfiction.net kept destroying my formatting no matter what I did. Hopefully it doesn't do it again... Also, this chapter has action/romance/angst, but it also introduces some new allies... I have something new happening here... I'd like feed back. At any rate, enjoy.))  
  
"Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans -- born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace."  
  
-John Fitzgerald Kennedy  
  
It was dawn when Hermione awoke. She noticed her arm felt numb and she shook it to return the circulation to it from where she had slept on it. She stood and noticed an eerie silence in the room. She dressed quickly and silently and was about to leave the room when she heard a rustling noise coming from the bathroom. She opened the door to see Harry standing there shaving.  
  
She smiled mischievously at him, thinking him quite cute at the moment. Her eyes scanned his up and down. She noticed his hair was still dripping dry from the shower though freshly trimmed and as neat as it could get. He had on a white undershirt, black pants and no shoes. He smiled at her in the mirror with a little wink.  
  
"Shouldn't you be in bed still?" He asked, cleaning up the sink.  
  
"Shouldn't you?" She fired back, raising a wary eyebrow.  
  
He turned quickly and trapped her between himself and the wall in one fluid motion. "Ever the contradictive one Miss Granger" he said in a teacher like voice and it made her heart swell with pleasure to see him happy for once.  
  
"I have to be, or you and Ron would always get away thinking you're right when your not."  
  
"Not? Not ever? We're NEVER right?" he gasped with feigned hurt.  
  
"No" she said decisively, finally yielding to his charms and kissing him.  
  
When they were quite finished he still did not move, keeping her as prisoner. "I suppose I can live with that" he murmured, letting her go. "Now I need to finish getting dressed" he said a bit loudly and she smirked at him.  
  
"What a shame" she drawled, enjoying her moment of playing with his head. In retribution he shoved her from the bathroom, closing and locking the door. He began to hum loudly to drowned out her voice, teasing him from behind the shut door. When he finally reemerged she fell silent. He had on a black blouse, but judging by its stiff collar and the yellow stitched emblem on the tip of the collar she knew it was not one of his. The shoulders of it were decorated by two strips of white and yellow cloth which were fastened down by bronze buttons. An insignia on his sleeve marked his position... as a commander in the EMA. A black cape was fastened across his shoulder by a golden chain. When all was said and done Hermione supposed the blouse was more like a jacket. The dress jacket of a military man. She wished he would replace it with his usual jeans and sweater, even the long black dragon skin trench coat. Yet... he was only doing what he must, becoming who he must. Harry James Potter had always been a man of action.  
  
For his sake she sighed softly and straightened his collar a bit. She had to admit he was quite handsome like this, rather reminiscent of the dashing young men who starred in old World War II films, always dressed up neat, clean cut. Still she hated what the outfit represented for him, his having to leave the Order, even if momentarily.  
  
"Stay out of trouble" she stated, keeping her voice even. She avoided his eyes, instead tracing the word, "POTTER" which was stitched along his breast pocket. She was at least relieved that he didn't wear a dog tag like in the movies. That was a sure symbol of death. She kissed him on the cheek and then let him go.  
  
Nobody heard form Harry or Dumbledore for the next week. Hermione did not let this trouble her however. She pushed forth into the training program with full energy. She was barely sleeping but showed no sign of wear. Her and Ron had spent many a night awake pouring over volumes of books and filling scrolls with lists of plans and ideas. They had formed the troops. They had rationed the food and stocked up on dried goods and water. They had a strict wake up hour and a strict curfew. A 5:00 AM start and 10:00 lights out. Though some begrudged youth telling them their bed time the other Order members saw to it that every command was fulfilled and every punishment met.  
  
If the rise and bed time was rigid, the training schedule was even more so. Every member trained in various techniques of war, and most specialized directly in either flying, potions, setting up defenses, or another group which Harry had secretly set underway with Hagrid before his departure- mystical creatures. Neville Longbottom had suggested Herbology as having its benefits as well. Ron, who was in charge of castle defenses had initially thought the suggestion to be a joke, but when shown the power of a few well trained and grown plants, he changed his mind. He had never known plants could be so dangerous. Plus, herbology specialists provided the potions workers with many needed ingredients.  
  
With troops, plants, and mystical creatures which everyone hoped would soon incorporate dragons, the resistance measures were well under way.  
  
Still, Hermione couldn't help but wonder if it was worth it. Voldemort had temporarily ceased his attacks, and while most had agreed it most likely meant he was turning his gaze on Hogwarts, Hermione wasn't so sure. What if the rest of the world fell before he got around to Hogwarts? What good would there pathetic little force be at that point? Yet there was the bigger picture, and that was the possibility of wiping Voldemort out in one huge battle on their home ground. That was what they were striving for.  
  
As the sun fell on Hogwarts ground on the 8th day of Harry's departure Hermione found herself wandering the grounds with a clip board, checking that all was running perfectly, everything synchronized. The activities for the day had just ended and she watched as a troop of wizards and witches descended gracefully to the ground on broom. Walking stiffly with aching joints past her and over towards Cho where they could get a quick broom inspection done to make sure it was in perfect working order. From the opposite direction came a muddied group of those working at Hagrid's hut with Blast Ended Skrewts. They were terrible beasts but Hagrid had become convinced that with "a bit of trainin' up" they could repel enemy forces.  
  
Hermione squinted her eyes against the setting sun and scanned about once more to make sure that nobody was skiving off on their duties. She was nearly convinced that everyone had folded in for dinner or else to get cleaned up (depending on what dining shift they had) when she caught sight of a black dot on the horizon. She tired to focus her eyes more but was unable to make out what it was. She vaguely noted that Seamus Finnegan, Ron and Ginny had clustered about behind her and others were joining them, all drawn but the growing spot in the distance.  
  
After a moment Hermione realized that the spot was actually spots... as in plural. The one large blot had become several smaller blots. As they approached she realized that their were perhaps hundreds of such dots. She began to back a way nervously, not sure what to do, frozen with panic. She backed into someone and felt Ron's comforting hand on her shoulder. Suddenly she heard a laugh coming from someone at the right of her.  
  
She turned to see Seamus smirking, an amused look in his eyes. "It's the Americans" he chuckled.  
  
Harry had arrived at the ministry only to be mauled by flocks of reporters flashing their cameras off in his face and screaming questions at him. This had indeed put him into a foul mood. As he entered Minister's office and closed the door tightly behind it, sealing it closed. Angrily he swirled to face the secretary whom had risen apprehensively to her feet when he'd entered.  
  
She wrung her perfectly manicured hands and pursed her lips in anticipations for what he would do next. Harry took a quick glance at the attractive secretary and then demanded to see the Minister.  
  
"General Blake has requested for you to wait before he sees you, he is very busy" she reported in a matter of fact tone while eyeing him in an appraising manner as though she had just laid her eyes upon a delicious double chocolate cake.  
  
Harry snorted loudly. "Oh so were all calling him General are we?" His voice was heavy with sarcasm and he rapidly approached the desk, leaning heavily against it. "He can shove his requests up his ass. I need to see him. Now."  
  
She felt her heart flutter; his commanding nature was even more of a turn on. She realized she'd been standing there dumbly for a while and finally spoke in a calm, professional tone. "I'm sorry Mr. Potter, but he had given me strict orders. If there's anything I can do to make you more comfortable..." she batted her eyelashes at him "I'll be more than willing to serve."  
  
He instantly understood her suggestion for what it was, no longer the dull witted, innocent boy he had been at Hogwarts. "No, that'll be quite alright, I'll just have to break every door down until I find him." He gave her a sadistic little smile and began to turn away.  
  
"No wait, I'll buzz him!" She exclaimed immediately and he gave her a nod of gratitude, taking a seat as he waited.  
  
She eyed him nervously as she swished her wand at a blue crystal on her desk. A smoky projection of General Blake's head arose.  
  
"What is it?" He barked angrily.  
  
"Its Harry Potter sir, he's just arrived" she announced.  
  
"I told you to make him wait" he growled in a low voice and Harry was quickly beginning to associate the man with a dog.  
  
"Sir" she whispered as if Harry wouldn't be able to hear, "he threatened to break all the doors down to find you."  
  
There was a pause as Blake appeared indecisive. "Fine then, send him in."  
  
Harry was quickly escorted down a modern looking hall to a black door with a plaque that read, "Minister Jeffery Blake." The secretary gave two quick knocks and then opened the door for Harry. Harry stepped in and she left the two men to talk.  
  
"Take a seat Mr. Potter" Blake grumbled, his black eyes searching Harry's green ones. Harry did as commanded, seating himself across from the Minister or "General" as he apparently preferred. He accepted Blake's hand in a quick hand shake but soon noticed the minister did not immediately let go. Instead he flipped Harry's hand palm up and investigated the scar which ran across it. Harry quickly pulled his hand a way, and the Minister looked up, surprised.  
  
"Where'd you get that?" He asked, mystified.  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Harry replied rudely, earning a hard expression from Blake.  
  
Blake stood and paced behind his desk for a moment. "I've been informed, Mr. Potter, that you and Albus Dumbledore are withholding troops from me at Hogwarts."  
  
Harry felt an angry churning in his stomach but did not show it in his face. "No, we are fortifying the castle with our own resistance group. We have reason to believe Voldemort may mount a major attack on Hogwarts. We may be able to destroy his forces."  
  
"Destroy the enemy through a battle of defense. Idealistic at best Potter. We must root out the enemy. That has been the sole focus of the EMA."  
  
"It has also been your greatest downfall" Harry replied coolly. "Every time you send troops out on the offensive you get slaughtered. Covert operations are one thing; we've taken down some of the top Death Eaters that way. Sending out huge forces into the unknown is another thing entirely. He's just setting up traps for you to fall into."  
  
Blake suddenly looked furious. "Oh yes, and what would you know of it boy? I am a trained General, I know a hundred times more than you do about warfare."  
  
Harry bit back a fiery response. He had made Blake sink to where he wanted him. "You're right, I don't know shit about it. That's why I'm no good to the EMA. Let me go back. Leave Dumbledore's Army alone."  
  
Blake chuckled coldly. "Ah yes, I heard of your so called "DA" in Fudge's files. It is meant to uproot the Ministry is it not?"  
  
"I already told you what it's meant to do, I won't repeat myself" Harry replied, his eyes fluttering to life with flames of their own.  
  
Blake tensed and then leaned over the desk. "Good then, the DA may stay in tact, but I have use for you yet. You may know nothing of military tactics but you are powerful. I plan to give you training in tactics. You shall be accommodated in a fine lodging at the Ministry where you are to look over every one of my battle plans. You may criticize them, but more importantly, learn from them. I will personally escort you there with my security. You are to remain there until I come for you and determine weather your ready to lead some of my troops into battle."  
  
The fire in Harry's eyes grew "I'll leave, I won't stay."  
  
"Oh yes you will boy. See, you aren't just a helpful tool I this war... you're a threat to this war, my war. You'll be kept prisoner until you see it my way."  
  
Harry was quickly at his feet. "I'll only warn you once Blake. Don't make me hurt you."  
  
Blake smiled a twisted grin. He clapped his hands and Harry just barely registered the whistling sound of the dart flying through the air before it sunk into his flesh and he passed out.  
  
"And I'll give you no warnings my dear boy."  
  
Harry spent the next week in the confines of a rather elaborate room, but still a prison designed to prevent the use of any magic. He studied Blake's plans and scribbled down their many faults, unable to bring himself to cooperate with such insanity. He had no way of sending out any messages.  
  
Hermione saw that Seamus was right, the dots were indeed people on broom. As they came closer she saw what Seamus had seen. One of the front fliers carried an American flag wavering in the breeze. Behind her landed Albus Dumbledore and an older man with a neatly cut white goatee and buzz cut grey hair. As the other fliers descended onto the lawn groups of those inside the castle began to run out.  
  
Dumbledore stepped over towards the gathering group of Order members. He had a merry twinkle in his wise blue eyes. "I'm back" he announced with a warm smile. The man he'd been flying with stepped up behind him and Hermione observed that he had friendly brown eyes that erased any apprehension she'd been feeling. "Might I introduce you all to General Flynn." He winked at the confused faces that starred back. "I think it's time for an Order meeting."  
  
Not long after Dumbledore had said that they were gathered in the Order hall, all Order members eagerly awaiting an explanation as the newly landed troops set up tents on the lawns.  
  
Dumbledore stood at the head of the table with General Flynn and behind him stood two men he had not yet introduced. Dumbledore cleared his throat unnecessarily and addressed the table. "I have been gone for some time. During my absence I contacted my old friends, General Michael Flynn who agreed to meet with me at the US wizard capital to discuss our growing predicament. To make a long and dull rambling short, he graciously agreed to appeal to commanding board of the US DWFF, or Dark Wizard Fighting Force. He gained permission to aid us with a number of troops."  
  
"Only 150 soldiers I'm afraid, but it's only a resistance force, like this one, not an army and it was the best we could do" General Flynn interjected with an apologetic smile as though he had not just nearly doubled the size of the resistance force.  
  
"But the Americans never show up until the war is half way over!" Percy exclaimed rudely.  
  
"Not this time" Flynn said with a grin and a wink.  
  
"Furthermore" Dumbledore continued, drawing the attention back to himself, "I was able to make contact with the Canadian and French Dark Wizard Fighting Forces, or DWFFs if you will. They also agreed to supply us with 50 soldiers a piece. May I introduce French commanding officer Henri Beaufort and Canadian commanding officer Jean LeClerk."  
  
The two officers nodded when mentioned and Hermione couldn't help but grin. Their odds had just taken a drastic turn for the better.  
  
"Now... where's Harry?" Dumbledore suddenly asked, looking very perplexed.  
  
Harry sat at the desk he had been provided massaging his temples, his feet purposely resting on top of Blake's so- called, "genius plans." The two security guards which kept watch over Harry seemed to think Blake was a genius at any rate, and Harry deeply regretted to think that many others probably did as well. The two guards were hulking men, both rather ugly and dimwitted but strong as oxen. They reminded Harry of Crabbe and Goyle. With that disgusting though in mind, Harry barely moved his head to acknowledge the sound of their entering with his dinner.  
  
"Okay Potter, wakey wakey, dinner is served" one of the oafs sang out.  
  
Harry said nothing. He did not even move.  
  
Oaf one shot a nervous glance at oaf two. "What's up with the statue?" He teased and tossed a book off the shelf at him to make him move. Suddenly with ultra fast reflexes Harry caught the book behind him without even turning.  
  
"That wasn't very nice" Harry purred. Both oafs grew rather scared in unison.  
  
"Shut him up" Oaf One commanded, not sure why he was suddenly so unnerved. Oaf Two advanced, pulling a beefy fist back to swing at Harry's face. Harry casually spun around, book still in hand. Quick to his feet Harry placed the book between himself and the fist. The buffoon's fist crashed into the hard cover with a snap as the binding broke and the Oaf pulled his hand back with a yowl of pain.  
  
Harry took a sly glance at the cover of the book. "Tsk, tsk, you ruined a perfectly good piece of work. 'War and Peace' didn't deserve that now did it?" Harry smiled sarcastically and Oaf one charged, his arm extended for a mighty shoved. In one fluent motion Harry grabbed the arm and moved it up and out of the way, directing a punch into the Oaf's ribs with his free hand. The beefy fool lost his balance and tumbled into the book case as his counterpart made another attack on Harry.  
  
Harry had to twist quickly to block the punch with his arm. He felt the bruise form almost instantly, the dude could sure pack a punch. Still, Harry continued to fight back, hitting the offending arm back with an open fisted blow, ducking the second punch and directing a kick into the Oaf's knee. There was a disgusting crunch as the Oaf groaned loudly in pain. Harry could feel the other one creeping up on him, and he finished his current opponent with a swift kick to the face, his heel connecting with jaw. Without having to turn he brought his elbow up in the face of the oaf who had dared try to sneak up on him. With that, both were unconscious and his little battle had ended.  
  
Harry looked around quickly and grabbed his uniform jacket. With it slung over his shoulder he raced from the room.  
  
Hermione was in the process of explaining what had happened with Dean and why Harry was gone when the door to the Order meeting hall flew open.  
  
Harry stood on the other side, panting, damp with sweat. He had on only a muscle shirt to go with his black pants and black boots and he held his uniform jacket in one hand and a broom in the other. "What the hell did I miss?" He gasped.  
  
Hermione stood at the school's open doorway as dusk cast its glow onto the now occupied grounds. She felt someone walk up behind her and knew it was Harry when he rested his chin on her shoulder. They stood there for a moment observing the sight before them.  
  
"It looks like a big rock concert or something" Harry murmured and Hermione knew precisely what he meant. Little white tents scattered the ground, a clean background against the heavy hanging smoke of dinner fires that were being set about the grounds. Loud laughter and shouts rose up from all about as men and women ran about the camps getting settled.  
  
"I leave for one week and look what happens" he laughed. "But it is great isn't it?"  
  
"It is" she agreed, leaning back against him. The sound of a guitar strumming picked up and carried through the warming March air.  
  
"All right, I'll be damned if Green didn't bring his guitar!" Yelled out a voice with a South American lilt. A group scurried by in the distance. Nearby an American man was conversing with a French woman in broken French and she laughed as he stumbled to say something, suddenly saying it back to him in perfect English.  
  
"Excuse me folks" interjected a familiar British voice. Hermione and Harry both turned to see Fred and George standing there with matching mischievous eyes.  
  
"Where do you two think your going?" Hermione asked suspiciously.  
  
"There's girls out there and we plan to meet every one of them" Fred explained and George nodded energetically in accord. "Besides, the eye patch does wonders for meeting new people."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and stepped aside, letting them skip merrily past her. She was about to step into the doorway when she felt a heavy bang against her right shoulder that nearly knocked her over. "Watch where you're going Seamus" she scowled and he nodded a quick apology and then darted after the twins.  
  
"This can't be good" Harry said, his voice soft and serious, causing her to laugh.  
  
Hermione was about to step back to the same spot again and then thought the better of it, just in time to see a sprinting Cho being chased by Ron flash past her. "She's got my king!" Ron shrieked over his shoulder as they took off.  
  
"What?!" Harry exclaimed, perplexed.  
  
"From his chess set Harry" Hermione explained absently. She could hear him pondering why she would steal that from him in the background, but her thoughts had stolen the foreground in her mind. "They've all gone mad" she thought with dim amusement. "Perhaps an earlier spring fever... or maybe they're just happy that there's finally some hope." She wondered why they were standing there separate from it all, obscured by the shadows of the door way. They had suffered more than most, true enough, but that was no excuse for hiding from life.  
  
"Let's take a walk Harry" she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him outside and into the dimming sunlight. He went with out protest and was immediately pleased to feel the cool, fresh air splash against his aged and worn flesh. He faintly recalled that he wasn't even 20 yet.  
  
They began to pass the bustling scene of tents and Hermione remembered the Quidditch World Cup from forth year. She supposed that these tents were much bigger inside than they looked... perhaps the size of entire houses. Yet many people preferred the healthy outdoors and prepared their dinners over a real campfire.  
  
Some groups of people sat talking in what appeared to be very serious conversation, but most were swept up in an atmosphere of feeling free, a general lightness. "Bull shit" one man shouted and she turned to see a foursome laughing raucously as a disgruntled man picked up the deck of cards from a the center of blanket on which the group was sitting. As they weaved their way through the camp they noticed more and more of their own friends who had mingled in with the newcomers. It was as if a big party was at the onset.  
  
They could hear the guitar music louder now and heard that it was accompanied by a banjo, harmonica and some vocals at this point. When they arrived at the source of the music Hermione was immediately able to identify it as the convex of the party, more new people suddenly crowding around the amateur musicians. They swung into an upbeat bluegrass tune from a slower blues.  
  
Cutting through the crowd was a middle aged man with graying brown hair and a well kept goatee. In his hand he had a violin which he carried ever so delicately. "Excuz me" he said in a distinctively French accent.  
  
"I should like 'ery much to play my violin avec... eu, with you" he requested of the rowdy young Americans, his posture straight and refined, his delivery polite but carrying a slight tone of contempt. A few younger French men snickered behind his back and he quickly turned on them, swearing at the in his refined native language, shutting them up.  
  
The red haired girl on the harmonica cast a wary glance at the guitar player who had blonde spiky hair and light blue eyes. He seemed to be the group leader. "Of course buddy, you know blues music?"  
  
The French men snorted snottily. "I know everything" he stated with his sophisticated accent. There was some laughter but Mr. French didn't seem to notice.  
  
"Alright then" Mr. American said with a pearly white grin. "Here we go." He strummed on his guitar with surprising talent and melodic accuracy and the other two Americans quickly joined. Mr. French took a moment to position the violin just as he wanted it, and then forged forward into the song, giving a new upbeat element that soon had people dancing and clapping their hands in rhythm. Mr. American began to sing, his voice low and strong, carrying an exciting edge to it.  
  
It wasn't long before more people had gathered about. Soon a full fledged dance party had commenced. The Weasley twins popped out of nowhere with the liquor and big bonfires were started as night officially set. Food tables scattered the grounds as the House Elves proved to be their usual good host selves.  
  
Harry wasn't a very good dancer, but he even found himself getting into the moment as well. Ron and Cho were dancing, Ron showing off his "flashy moves" which brought laughter from Hermione, Harry and Cho. It was an evening for youth and vigor, to shake past regret and loss and enjoy the lives they barely clung to.  
  
Mr. French had split off onto a solo riff for a while as Mr. American went to get some food. He was grabbing a drink of butter beer when he crashed into Harry who was moving in on the Fire Whiskey.  
  
"Oh, sorry" Harry said, clapping the man on the shoulder.  
  
"No problem" Mr. American said with a shrug, turning towards Harry to shake his hand in good will. "Hey... you're Harry Potter aren't you?" He asked, a flash of excitement crossing his eyes.  
  
"That's me" Harry ruefully admitted.  
  
"Nice meeting you. My name's Maddox Green." He shook Harry's hand firmly and Harry was just pleased he didn't ask to see his scar or request an autograph.  
  
"You're a good guitar player from what I heard" Harry complimented offhandedly. "Then again, I know little to nothing about music... and even less about dancing."  
  
"Well it doesn't matter much if you've already got a girl" Maddox said with a wink, gesturing over at Hermione. "A rather hot..." Maddox cut off abruptly realizing he had let his mouth run too much. He eyed Harry with a bit of apprehension.  
  
"You are a true idiot" drawled the now familiar French accent from behind them. Mr. French sniffed indignantly at a cup of Fire Whiskey he had just taken and then spat in distaste as he sipped at it, causing Harry and Maddox to jump out of the way to avoid being splattered. "Zis tastes like shite" he complained, wiping his mouth with a small white handkerchief from his pocket.  
  
"Really now Mr. Jeeves?" Maddox mocked, angered by the Frenchmen's insult. "Gimme a taste." He slurped a bit out of the cup, held it his mouth a moment and then gagged it out. "He's right, it taste's like shit." He coughed a bit.  
  
"I told you I know everything" Mr. French absently stated. "And mon nom... eu, my name zis not Mr. Jeeves. It zis Amaury DiMontfort ze third."  
  
Maddox assumed the look of a skeptic and Amaury turned and left without another word. "I don't get that dude" Maddox sighed.  
  
"Where are you from Maddox?" Harry asked dimly, hoping to return to Hermione and his friends shortly.  
  
"Philidelphia, Pennsylvania. You might not know where that is... but anyways, I better get back to playing, I feel a good one coming on." He gave Harry a charming little grin that was probably used to melt the girls or talk his way out of something. With a wink he turned and left.  
  
Harry walked over towards Ron, Hermione and gang and saw that a happy Dumbledore had joined them in conversation. "Ah, Harry!" Dumbledore announced with a smile. "I was just telling Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger here that I plan to head to the ministry tomorrow to set out probably now furious friend General Blake. I feel it's safe to assume he'll be rather upset about a certain destroyed copy of 'War and Peace'." His eyes twinkled and he winked at Harry, making Harry wonder how the old wizard knew about that. Dumbeldore peered past Harry a moment. "I see you've met Maddox Green and Amaury DiMontfort."  
  
Harry peered at Dumbledore with confusion. "Yes how do you..."  
  
"Know them?" Dumbledore asked, finishing his sentence. "They are two of the best soldiers here, I was introduced to them separately. Maddox has a big mouth, Amaury is a bit eccentric, but they're both good men. I believe you'll find them very suitable to the cause Harry."  
  
Harry could see the Dumbledore had something else churning in his mind, but he was saying nothing of it. "Well, I'll leave you all to be" Dumbledore said with a smile. "Enjoy the evening."  
  
They indeed did.  
  
A month passed in heavy training. Some nights cumulated in parties but not many. Most nights ended with sore muscles and heavy hearts as they as they awaited the inevitable storm on the horizon with heavy hearts. Voldemort was balefully silent. It was like a collective intake of wind before the tornado came ripping through them.  
  
It was one particularly rainy night when the tension was at its worst. Harry found himself wandering the corridors and then standing at the window and finally dripping under the freezing rain, starring into nothing.  
  
"HARRY!" He heard a yell from the doorway and half turned to face Hermione. She wrapped her arms around herself and ran towards him through the downpour. "Are you frigging insane?" She asked, her eyes wide and concerned.  
  
He gave her a half smile and unclasped his robe in one swift gesture. He draped in to her shoulders, buckling the clasp for her and gently pulling the hood up. "You're even more insane for following" he slurred under his breath.  
  
She looked up at him with a mixture of emotions. She felt touched by his gentle motions and display in concern by giving his cloak to her. The very gestures of his hand motions told he loved her more than any declaration he'd ever stated or look his eyes had ever told. It was a silent symbol of protectiveness. "Harry why do you do these things?" She muttered softly, not knowing where the words had appeared from. Yet she had to know why... why he slipped off into the darkness at times, why he stood alone, silent and stoic at the oddest of times.  
  
"I don't know. War's just made me strange" he gave her a sad little smile and brushed his wet cold fingers across her cheek. "I would do anything to keep you safe" he whispered.  
  
"Harry..." she gasped, suddenly surprised and confused. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Everything in the world is wrong Hermione" he stated, pulling back from her.  
  
"Something's happening isn't it?" She asked with alarm, grabbing onto his arm.  
  
Her eyes were so scared, so begging for explanation that he instantly gave into her. "I have to find him Hermione. Only I can kill him... I have to face him now before it's too late." He instantly saw the color drain from her face, could nearly read the memories in her eyes.  
  
Suddenly the color returned and her fist clamped onto his arm like a vice. "Follow me Harry" she spat and he obeyed as he seemed to have no other choice. The soaked soil tugged heavily at their heels as they walked and the began on the path towards Hogsmede, the rain driving into them. Hermione was unyielding to him, not coming closer to him for warmth but maintaining a cold distance, the rain drizzling down her stony expression, not wiping it away. Once the had crossed the apparation barrier she drew slightly nearer and then without warning they had poofed away and were left standing in a graveyard.  
  
For a wild moment Harry felt panic leap up into his throat as he thought it was the same cemetery he had been captured by Voldemort in during forth year. Hermione had her deathly grip on his arm once more and she was dragging him across the muddy graveyard. She suddenly stopped and let go of his arm. Her breathing was uneven and some what hysterical. "Look Harry. Take a nice, long god damned look."  
  
What Harry was looking at was his own tomb stone. A black stone with a glossy coating that suddenly illuminated with the blue lightening that filled the sky. It was a surreal moment, gazing at his own name carved into a symbol of death. He fell to his knees suddenly, out of mere emotion. He had died... DIED and it was just finally hitting home. Somewhere beneath the mud, grass and soil lay his own mortal corpse in a tomb... his real body, decaying deep underground. The one he was in was in all actuality, a replica, a clone for all purposes... not him. He sunk his cold fingers into the mud and wept a moment. Suddenly Hermione's façade crumbled as well. He could hear her sobbing quietly behind him and he rose to his feet. He turned and pulled her towards him. She buried her face into his shoulder and he just held her until the crying passed.  
  
"See why you can't leave me again?" She said in a muffled tone.  
  
"Yes, but I still must" he explained to her shock.  
  
"Why?" She rasped, backing away slowly.  
  
He said nothing a moment, merely holding her gave with his eyes. "Because it's one thing to see my name on that stone but it would be another thing entirely to see yours. That I could not bear."  
  
"That's not fair" she blurted out in a self righteous tone. "Do you think it's any different seeing yours there Harry? Do you think it's a god damned joy fest for me?!"  
  
"No. I would never think that. But if I do this; I may be able to save both of us and countless others. You need to let me go again and trust I'll return."  
  
He might as well have asked her to gnaw her own arm off. It seemed impossible. Yet he was right... he'd have to face Voldemort someday. Unfortunately it would have to be sooner rather than later. She had learned she had no other choice but to trust him, she had no other choice but to watch him walk away into the face of danger time and time again. She had to be strong enough to let him go yet again.  
  
She leaned into him and gave up. He was right. It pained her to realize it, but he was indeed right. He apparated them away and once they arrived back at Hogsmeade they walked slowly up the path towards the school.  
  
((The end. Okay, so Harry's going to leave again soon. But not right away. More is going to happen, A LOT more, and I have a few subplots that will be submerging soon. As for the new allies- I had A LOT of trouble deciding weather to keep them or not, and they aren't in the story to be wicked patriotic or anything. All the new allies are there for two reasons. 1) I wanted a bigger force and new characters 2)I figured if there's going to be a big war, other countries should help out. SO FEED BACK PLEASE!!!!))  
  
mrs-osbourne's-class: Thank you for the compliments... I hope this chapter was a bit more interesting than the past few. The plot was in a lull since a kinda had to have Harry re emerge into the world after being somewhat dead. So yeah, now that the plot is becoming a bit clearer (I hope) let me know what you think. Chapter 12 is rather long, and everything falls into place.  
  
Gryffindor620: So Harry got to do a little damage this chapter... he gets to do even more in the upcoming chapters, which I must say, are incredibly fun to write. As for Chrome and Ginny... stay tuned is all I can say, some kinda- uh- different stuff happens. I don't want to give anything away ;)  
  
Mabelmione: As you can see, there was a bit more action in this one. The drama's coming to a slow and painful close... at least for a little while. Everything becomes a bit more action packed... by a bit I mean a lot. 


	12. Into the Mist

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
((Chapter 12 is finally here. I would have liked this chapter to be longer, but the original chapter 12 is something close to 50 pages, and I've decided to split it up. I ended this where I felt was appropriate. This chapter is the official transition into what I think of as the second half of the story.))  
  
"I need a group to bring with me" Harry elaborated as he walked beside Dumbledore.  
  
"How will you even know where to begin to look for Voldemort?" Dumbledore asked slowly.  
  
Harry looked hesitant a moment, as though thinking deeply on something. "When I was looking for the Disc as an immortal they told me to look 'to the Heart of Darkness'. I intercepted the Disc while Voldemort was out wreaking havoc... but I think where his real headquarters is the in the Heart of Darkness."  
  
Dumbldedore stopped walking suddenly and turned to Harry. His expression was stony and serious, tinged with fear. "Harry, you mustn't go there."  
  
"Oh, but I must Head Master" Harry replied with equal sternness in his tone. "This must be ended. I have a strong suspicion he will never come to me. No, he's going to avoid me after our last encounter. So I need to find him and end this thing. So it's to the center of the Dark Forest for me."  
  
"But Harry, do you have any idea how enormous and filled with evils that forest is? It will take you a very long time to make it, if you even survive getting that far. I strongly discourage it." Dumbledore peered over his half moon lenses once more, piercing Harry with his wise and all knowing eyes, working like an X-ray into Harry's mind.  
  
"What else would you suggest I do? Call Voldemort out for an old fashioned gunslinger show down?" Harry laughed out loud at the thought.  
  
Dumbledore looked as though he were internally deliberating over the thought. "Yes, yes, it seems this is the only way. May Merlin be with you though... it will be quite the journey. Who would you like to have accompany you? Keep in mind, we cannot spare many."  
  
"True, and I wouldn't want a large group anyways. Perhaps... two or three others who I could rely on for the journey. I'd rather have Hermione and Ron stay here. You'll need them too much to be spared."  
  
"You know Harry, there was a reason I mentioned Amaury and Maddox to you. They are powerful wizards... I had a suspicion you may have need for them soon enough. But you will need more than just them. I suggest you bring whoever you think has the nerves and will to bear such a journey."  
  
Harry was silent for some time. It was hard deciding who could qualify for such a seemingly impossible mission. "I suppose I'll round up a few others who have proven best for the wear. Definitely Bill Weasley..."  
  
"How about Dylan Lucas?" Dumbledore asked, analyzing Harry for a change in demeanor.  
  
"Who's he?" Harry asked.  
  
"She actually. She's been fighting for us for some time. She's an Auror, a friend of Tonk's. She will come to your aid on this assignment."  
  
"Case closed then. I'll take a total of ten. I can only hope that at least a few return." He knew his words felt bitter, but his heart felt heavy and his whole being was despondent from his guilt and self targeted anger at having to leave Hermione. He turned away from Dumbledore and headed off on his own to take a walk.  
  
Time had passed, and Hermione could sense she was close. She had been spending her spare time (which was small and seldom) trying to find Chrome the deserter as she had irritably come to think of him. Now she knew she had nearly gotten him pinpointed via a number of charms he was powerless to block since he had no magic, combined with owled responses she had received from a few inquiries she had made. She was chewing on the tip of her quill when a knock came at the door.  
  
"Come in" she said distractedly, slowly placing her quill back down on the wooden surface of her desk.  
  
Ginny quickly entered, closing the door behind her. "Any luck finding Chrome?" Ginny inquired, her face hopeful though guarded, as if afraid to hope too much.  
  
"A bit" Hermione answered with a tired smile, glad to see her good friend and take a break from her work.  
  
"Bloody hell Hermione, you look like a disaster!" Ginny declared in a loud and forward tone.  
  
"Funny, I would have thought Harry would mention it be now if I really had gone all to shambles Ginny" she sarcastically stated with a roll of her eyes.  
  
"First of all, you could look like a mutated whale with a shabby brown wig and I doubt Harry would mention it as he's so obsessed with you. Second, Harry is a wreck himself, what would he know?"  
  
"Ginny!" Hermione gasped. "Honestly, where do you come up with these things?! A mutated whale with a shabby brown wig? I think Harry would have something to say about that! Besides, have you even seen Harry ever? Only a blind and utterly stupid person could think of him as a wreck. I swear I have to spend half my time sending nasty glances at all the girls in this castle trying to 'hook up' with him."  
  
Ginny sighed. "That's not what I meant. I guess I'm letting my mouth get ahead of me. I meant you both look so exhausted you're like walking corpses."  
  
Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment and then Ginny noticed that Hermione was studying her with her eyes. "You look quite tired yourself Ginny, and you don't even have all our responsibilities. Explain that will you?"  
  
Ginny blushed for a moment. "Well Hermione...we were hoping to keep this a secret but you're onto me. I've been having a torrid affair with one of the American soldiers. I mean, he keeps me up all night... it's very..."  
  
"GINNY!" Hermione exclaimed in horror.  
  
Ginny responded with a cheeky smile. "I'm only having some fun with you Hermione. Really now, what do you take me for, some sort of scarlet woman?"  
  
Hermione suddenly had a strong flash of forth year nostalgia as she remembered Ron using the exact same expression during the Rita Skeeter incident. She suddenly found herself laughing aloud and catching her drift, Ginny was laughing too until both girls were in hysterics.  
  
"Really though Ginny, why?" Hermione finally managed to ask, her stomach hurting from laughing so hard.  
  
Ginny looked insecure for a moment and sat down on the bed, deep in thought. "It's just... things have gone so awry lately that I hardly know who I am anymore. Everything is changing. Harry is preparing to wander off into the East somewhere with his band of soldiers, You Know Who may be in these very woods that surround us, Dean is a traitor, Chrome's run off, Charlie's somewhere off with dragons, Bill's packing to leave with Harry... the list could go on forever."  
  
Hermione nodded in understanding. Life was a nightmare, and it could only get worse. She had known for a week of Harry's expedition into the forest and while it had primarily pained her, now she just had to conform to what must be done. He had told her that night at the cemetery that he would have to seek out Voldemort, and she needed to accept his fate, as well as her own. She sat down besides Ginny and patted the back of her hand with a gentle understanding. She wanted to take such dark matters off of their minds, and so she came up with a proposition.  
  
"Why don't you help me try to find Chrome. I seem to have come to a complete stand still in my research at this point. Perhaps together we could dig something of use up."  
  
Ginny beamed at this suggestion, nodding excitedly. They were both quiet for a very still and pensive moment and then Ginny jumped up. "I remember why I came here in the first place now!" Ginny unrolled a magazine from her back pocket and opened it for Hermione to see.  
  
It was a copy of "Witch Weekly" and was the special annual edition of "Wizard World's Tops Ten" which counted down the best looking males in the Wizarding world.  
  
Hermione laughed out loud, "Some things never change, even in the face of war." They laid down on the bed, work temporarily forgotten and flipped through the pages.  
  
Maddox was trudging through the forest when he crashed head on with a very still object. He was knocked back a step and quickly looked up to see a disgruntled Amaury standing there.  
  
"Vatch where you are going" Amaury snottily commented, dusting himself.  
  
"Watch yourself" Maddox spat back. "What are you doing standing around? Forget we're looking for Thestrals?"  
  
"'Ow can I look for zem when they are invisible?" Amaury asked as though it were the most obvious thing ever.  
  
"You've never seen anyone die?" Maddox asked in disbelief.  
  
"No, I 'aven't, but I 'ope that when I do it zis you're body."  
  
"You're such a warm and fuzzy guy" Maddox muttered sarcastically, turning away to look for the seemingly elusive creatures. Just then they both heard a loud whistle and a shout. Heading towards it they saw Harry standing at the fringe of the woods, expression stern as ever, arms crossed.  
  
"We got all the Thestrals" Harry explained in a clear and even tone.  
  
"Frigging figures" Maddox swore as he walked beside Amaury out of the forest. There were a good number of the creepy looking beasts gathered on the lawn, and Amaury nearly walked into one, only moving at the way at the last second because Harry pulled him to the side.  
  
"Thestrals give me the creeps" Maddox said aloud, and Amaury just gave him a critical look.  
  
"I used to feel the same way" Harry muttered.  
  
"What changed?" Maddox asked with full curiosity.  
  
Harry didn't answer right away, merely thinking. "I don't know... I guess my outlook just changed that's all. After all, they are a symbol of death."  
  
"Yes" Maddox absently agreed. That was the reason he got the chills from them- they were such a strong symbol of death.  
  
Harry reached into a leather riding bag down by his feet. He pulled out two harnesses from the bag, both sturdy black leather with silver fixings. On either side of the harnesses were two large round silver disks with designs engraved into their silver plates. Harry handed one to each of them for the thestrals.  
  
"Pretty fancy eh?" Maddox murmured.  
  
"Thestrals won't let you harness them unless what you use has some bit of silver in it. It's just another weird thing about them." Harry absently played with the silver disks on the harness, feeling that they were rather sharp at the edges. He silently pondered if that would be problem.  
  
Suddenly a loud cry filled the air. Amaury was the first to draw his wand, the immediacy of his reaction a bit of a surprise. They turned their eyes to the sky and could barely make out the forms of black creatures against the blue morning sky.  
  
Harry put his arm down and brought it to shield his eyes. "What are they?" He asked to nobody in particularly.  
  
"Dragons" said a very knowledgeable female voice. Harry dropped his hand and turned around to give Hermione a little grin which she returned.  
  
"They're Hungarian Horntails" Amaury drawled "and Hebridean Black Dragons."  
  
"A Ukrainian Ironbelly!" Maddox shouted. "Those are near impossible to tame!"  
  
Harry grinned a bit wider. It appeared his new comrades were not as foolish as they had originally appeared. At any rate, they knew an awful lot about dragons. He grabbed Hermione's hand excitedly as the dragons touched down. He looked quickly towards the castle and saw Ron running out with a confused expression.  
  
"Charlie's back!" Harry cried out, and with that the trio joined up and went racing through the crowd of massive beasts in search of Charlie Weasley.  
  
The Weasley clan gathered around Charlie as he dismounted from the back of the dragon he had been riding. He had a big grin on his face as he was instantly attacked by his family, Ginny throwing her arms around his neck as Ron and Bill gave him the old slap on the back. Meanwhile Fred and George we're singing "For he's a jolly good fellow" and Mrs. Weasley was fussing over her son non stop.  
  
"Did I do alright Harry?" Charlie yelled over the roar of voices, the wide smile that had transplanted itself never budging.  
  
Harry's face was very serious and he absently stroked the dragon's side. "I don't know Charlie, I was expecting better..."  
  
Everyone went silent for a moment, shocked by Harry's displeasure. Suddenly Harry grinned, and began to sing, "For he's a jolly good fellow" and the next thing everyone knew they were all singing it.  
  
"You had me going for a minute Potter, you really did."  
  
The Weasley clan was seated in the Great Hall enjoying a well deserved dinner with Harry and Hermione. Charlie was in the process of telling them all about a friend of his who had lost a buttock from putting his wand in his back pocket when Seamus Finnegan butted in unexpectedly.  
  
"Hey, guys have you read the Daily Prophet yet?"  
  
"No, it's been a rather... busy day" Mr. Weasley offered, and they all laughed at the understatement.  
  
Seamus leaned over the table and threw a copy in front of them. They all leaned over to read it, but for no good reason since Seamus was planning to explain it to them anyways. "It's Draco Malfoy! He's escaped from Azkaban!"  
  
There were a collection of gasps and looks of disbelief as they all huddled over the newspaper. Hermione was about to stand up and take a look for herself, but one look at Harry told her that the news was true. The emotionless expression on his face as he sat still revealed nothing but that he believed the news. She sat down lost in a whirlwind of thoughts as the Weasleys loudly argued how it could be possible for the ferret boy to escape.  
  
Hermione felt a mixture of anger and disappointment, though not a great amount of fear. True he had tried to kill her during the Death Eater club mission, but she had put him away so to speak, and with his incarceration she buried the long burning pain his taunting had imprinted upon her as a child.  
  
She took another look at Harry but was unable to catch his eye as he took a sip of pumpkin juice from his cup.  
  
Eventually the chatter died down and the conversation took a slightly happier turn. The twins acted out some absurd story which put them all into riots of laughter. Cho was leaning on Ron's shoulder and he didn't look nearly so worn out as he had in the past. He had a genuine smile on his face, and even Harry looked pleased as he sat there taking in their antics.  
  
"You know, I think this calls for a party!" George declared triumphantly.  
  
"Oh brother, I always knew you were a genius!" Fred proclaimed, earning a number of sarcastic comments.  
  
Mrs. Weasley stood up making little clucking noises at the boys. "What is in your heads?!" She yelled. "Honestly, we're in the midst of a war! Besides, I'm sure Charlie is tired and he ought to get a good nights sleep as well as..."  
  
"Molly!" Arthur laughed, cutting her off. "They're young! Let them have a bit of fun for once! Charlie is fine, I think it's you and I who are in need of some sleep."  
  
A collective cheer went up which attracted a number of family friends such as Luna, Remus, Tonks, Seamus and Neville to come flocking over.  
  
"What's up?" Tonks asked with an excited, childish look on her face.  
  
"Well, the twins are suggesting we have a party tonight" Ginny explained, and they all turned to Hermione as though expecting her to protest.  
  
"It'll only be friends and family. A Welcome Home party if you will" Fred desperately supplied, trying to judge Hermione's reaction  
  
She merely smiled. "Might I suggest the Room of Requirement as a location?"  
  
The next thing they knew, the Twins, Ginny, Bill and Charlie were huddling up and making plans and Tonks was trying to elbow her way in to help.  
  
Hermione agreed to prepare the room with Ginny and then turned to Harry before she left.  
  
"I need to talk with Remus" he said softly. "I'll be at the party a little later."  
  
She nodded knowingly and gave Harry a soft kiss before leaving the hall with Ginny.  
  
Harry walked the lake beside his good friend and respected mentor Remus Lupin. The cloudy sky hid the waning moon as they strolled the soft spring grounds. Harry placed his hands into his pockets, shuddering slightly in the eerie breeze which blew out from inside the Dark Forest.  
  
"It's calling you" Remus stated, watching Harry's transfixed gaze on the shadowy trees.  
  
"Yes" Harry muttered, tearing his eyes away. "Yes, whatever it is that must be ended lies in the heart of that forest. I am eager to seek it out, to rid myself of this burden."  
  
Remus nodded calmly. "You will do what you must Harry, and I know with every fiber of my being that you will succeed. But Harry, your journey will be treacherous, make no mistake about that. The Dark Forest is enormous. I cannot even calculate how long your journey will take. Even with thestrals."  
  
Harry sighed and tilted his head to the ground, a few black strands of hair slipping down across his brilliant emerald eyes. He kicked a stray rock, sending it skidding down the path and off into the shadows of the underbrush. "I expect the Thestrals will only service us to a certain point anyways. Such creatures know nothing of loyalty and at the first sight of intimate danger they will flee. Yes, the journey will be treacherous, but of course, it always is."  
  
Fred and George had the music cranking as the "old crowd" piled into the Room of Requirement for the party. The room currently resembled a dance hall with chairs and tables around the dance floor, a small stage and a bar. Fred and George were the only ones dancing but everyone was having an enjoyable time nonetheless.  
  
Ron was brining in another case of butterbeers from the Twins' secret stash when he spotted Cho off standing by herself. He places the case down and snuck up on her grabbing her from behind.  
  
Jumping, she clapped her hands over her mouth to stifle a scream. Ron tossed his head back to laugh but was cut short be a swift punch to the gut.  
  
"You deserved it" she told him in response to his groaning. "Okay, okay, let's call a truce. Come one, I want to dance."  
  
Ron had a major aversion to dancing, but since a slow song was now playing thanks to Luna Lovegood (the twins were largely against it), he followed her onto the dance floor. All that slow dances really required was swaying, and even the Weasle King could manage that one. As they danced they were joined by others, including Percy and Penelope, whom Ron made a particular effort to avoid.  
  
Cho looked up at Ron as they danced. She smiled to herself as she remembered that there was a time when she wouldn't have given the man she now loved the time of day. He was Harry's gangly sidekick who had an obsession for Hermione, and she couldn't see past that. It wasn't until life hit rock bottom for the both of them that they found each other. Now she could see his unique handsomeness, she took pleasure from his awkwardness, found it sweet.  
  
What worried her however, were the ever present bags under his eyes. It concerned her the her had so many nightmares, dreams of failure, visions of death. Often she knew he dreamed Harry was still dead, and it made her even more aware of how frail he was in some ways. Repeated wartime shock, the sight of death and the pain of loss had weakened him in a sort of underlying way, yet he maintained a strength and discipline which she had some to rely on during the war. He had a brand of enduring courage which she would never possess.  
  
She kissed his temple and tried to imagine the military knowledge which lay beyond, she tried to envision what plans he saw in the long run. He was playing a game of chess with every method he devised. She just hoped it would be enough to put Voldemort in check mate.  
  
Hermione sat away from those dancing, sipping at a butter beer. "This is the period of joy that always seems to proceed a slippery slope into dark things." She shrugged off her unhappy thoughts in time to see Ginny approaching her.  
  
"Hello friend" Ginny said jovially, sitting beside the sullen Hermione. "Where's your dashing boyfriend?"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes, but laughed nonetheless. "Off with Remus taking a walk." Hermione was about to add, "where's yours?" but quickly remembered Dean was not exactly Ginny's boyfriend anymore since he'd betrayed the Order. At the same time, she couldn't ask "where's your ex- boyfriend slash enemy?" as it was slightly less than tactful so Hermione resigned herself to remaining silent.  
  
Ginny handed Hermione a neatly folded piece of parchment which was actually a torn out book page. Hermione eyed it over and a thin smile spread across her face. "Wow, Ginny, how long did it take you to find this?!"  
  
Ginny blushed a little. "Quite a while- well, it's not like I have much else to do, when I'm not training that is."  
  
"Why?" Hermione blurted out. "Why go through all this work?"  
  
"Anything for a friend" Ginny answered promptly. Hermione wasn't sure which friend she was referring to, herself or Chrome.  
  
"There is one problem with this spell though" Ginny continued. "It relies heavily on a potions component, and that potion requires black volcanic powder. Even Snape wouldn't have anything like that, it's not often used."  
  
"Black volcanic rock?" Hermione asked, her eyes glazed over with deep thought. "They used black volcanic rock in the older wizard chess sets... about five years ago they stopped because it was making the pieces blow up a bit too violently. I wonder, would Ron have a set old enough to have black volcanic rock in it?"  
  
Ginny looked a little apprehensive about something, but hid it just enough for Hermione to brush it off. "Yes, I'm pretty sure he does. I can ask him I guess."  
  
Ginny's hesitant tone of voice piqued Hermione's curiosity, but she held herself back from asking, not wanting to but into her friend's problems if it was clearly something she was trying to hide.  
  
Ginny gazed in Ron's direction, her mind turning one phrase over again and again. She could see Ron's upset face clearly in her mind as he spoke those words to her. "I'd come to think he loved you."  
  
Harry unexpectedly leapt up upon a boulder which hung out over the water, a gnarled black tree growing up beside it. Harry reached a hand up to grasp the old tree's branch and he let his weight hung from it, swaying forward slightly, his eyes fixed on the cloudy turnings of the night sky.  
  
"The day after tomorrow I'll be leaving" Harry proclaimed to Remus, who now stood watching, leaned up against the tree trunk. Harry grinned slightly in an almost maniacal manner, the grey clouds reflecting off his eyes symbolizing the storm clouds that were gathering in his mind. "Yes, tomorrow we'll ride out. I'll either come back victorious or not at all.  
  
Harry jumped backwards off the rock without warning, and landed gracefully on both feet with no perceptible sound. Remus watched Harry a moment, wondering what Lilly and James would have to say about their son if they could see him now. Their boy; a leader, hero and martyr who received respect without demanding it. Harry held so much power in him it was both frightening and reassuring. He had grown hard from years of loss and battle, cruel years of killing. Yet beneath all that was a compassionate boy who was insecure in many ways. The hero may be the public's Harry, but it was the boy who belonged to Remus, the Weasleys, and especially Hermione.  
  
"Harry, why don't we head back to the party?" Remus suggested. "I'd say they're probably missing us about now."  
  
Harry's attention was then focused and alert. "Okay Remus. But tomorrow, tomorrow we must have an Order meeting."  
  
Remus chuckled. "I though calling meetings was Dumbledore's job?"  
  
"What that old timer?" Harry snorted jokingly. "Nah, he's gotta step aside. Hell, what good is the Boy Who Lived if he can't even call a meeting?" Harry winked and Remus knew Harry would be arranging the meeting with Albus the following day.  
  
Although Harry and his small troop would soon be departing, the castle was feeling safer with Dumbledore there again. The old timer still knew his stuff.  
  
Ron let Charlie cut into his dance with Cho. He needed a drink anyways, and knew Charlie wanted to talk with "the girl who had stolen his little brother's heart."  
  
Ron grabbed a bottle of butter beer and spotted Ginny and Hermione sitting off to the side, away from the dance floor. They weren't talking anymore, and now Bill was asking Ginny to dance. Hermione was alone and Ron took the opportunity to snag a seat next to her.  
  
"Hey Ron" she greeted with a small smile.  
  
"Good day Hermione, or, good evening I suppose. So how are you lately?"  
  
"Alright I guess. Given what we're dealing with these days. I mean with training, trying to find Chrome, and then there's Harry..."  
  
"Being a prat is he?" Ron interjected with a mock knowledgeable tone to his voice.  
  
Hermione laughed. "If anyone's a prat, it's you Ron."  
  
He jumped back as if shocked, being overly dramatic in his tone of voice. "And here I was, thinking I could score a dance with you and you call me a PRAT?!"  
  
"Oh sure Ron, as if you were really just dying to dance again."  
  
"Hey now, don't be cruel. I know you want to dance with me. After all, there was a time when you were dying to dance with me."  
  
"Funny, I don't remember that" Hermione answered demurely, looking off into nothingness.  
  
"Well I do" Ron insisted. "Yep, you had it bad for the Weasle King. I remember only a little over a year ago we were dating."  
  
Hermione laughed loudly, covering her face with her hands. "Oh Ron, don't remind me! We were terrible together."  
  
"Yes, I recall you tried to kill me with a rather heavy book once" he nodded.  
  
"You had it coming! You called me a stuck up know- it- all!" She sniffed indignantly.  
  
Ron grimaced. "Yes, I guess we didn't make such a great couple. We just seemed to rub each other the wrong way no matter what we did. Well, let me make it up to you. What do you say to a dance?"  
  
"Alright, alright" Hermione smiled, and he led her out to the dance floor where a slow song was starting.  
  
They danced as friends, conversing about old times, from terrible dates they'd gone on to the first day of Hogwarts. A few fast dances passed in which they barely moved, but just stood there talking. They were staring in on another slow dance when Ron felt a tap on his shoulder.  
  
"I leave for an hour and my best mate moves in on my girl. What a world!" Harry laughed and Ron and Hermione parted.  
  
"She's all yours mate" Ron said, giving Harry a good natured punch in the shoulder. "Make sure she doesn't get a hold of any heavy books" he whispered while walking off.  
  
Harry and Hermione came together very naturally and resumed the dance. "Was your chat with Remus productive?" Hermione asked looking up into Harry's eyes.  
  
"Yes, as always" Harry replied shortly. "I'm leaving the day after tomorrow."  
  
He watched her with concern, afraid to see hurt or tears in her eyes. Instead she merely nodded and then leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
The Order meeting was conducted with surprising efficiency. Harry laid out his plan to all the members, carefully explaining each decision he had made. He told them that they would be traveling by Thestral on ground, not in the air because flying too high would be very obvious and most likely set of an alarm in the Death Eater camp. He was aware that they would have to forfeit the luxury of magic at a certain point in the journey because there would be charms to detect non Death Eater magic. Harry had predicted a whole number of charms would protect the camp, and no one argued because Harry was most likely correct. Voldemort would not set up a base with no defenses; he was far smarter than that.  
  
Harry hastened to his room after the meeting to double check that all of his belongings were in order. He was kneeled over and shifting anxiously through his bag when he felt a gentle hand running through his hair. Harry fastened the pack up once more and gave the straps a few hearty tugs. Then he turned around and stood up to face Hermione.  
  
"I'm ready" he murmured, he was so close to her his lips were nearly brushing her skin as he spoke.  
  
"Are you really?" She asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow. Behind the contradicting façade Harry could sense fear in her.  
  
"Yes, I really am. Hermione, I will be coming back" he asserted with a false confidence he didn't feel.  
  
"And if there's nothing left when you come back? If the castle's a pile of rubble and every last one of us has been slain? What then?"  
  
Harry quickly stepped back, astonished by her bitter words. "It will never...I... it's not possible."  
  
Hermione gave him a look as if to say it was absolutely possible such a thing could happen.  
  
"How can you say such things?" Harry asked, his voice stern and icy.  
  
Her cold, even gaze faltered. "I'm scared Harry. I'm afraid of losing you, but I'm also afraid of losing Ron or Ginny, or any of them. I'm scared of dying! How can you not be afraid in these dark times?"  
  
"I'm terrified" he replied candidly and pulled her to him. He kissed her desperately and felt the same urgency coming from her. "Be here when I return" he whispered between kisses.  
  
"I will."  
  
Dawn rose with a bloody red magnificence. The lake was still as a mirror surface and the only sounds were those of the impatient hoof stomping coming from the Thestrals. It was a cold morning and no one spoke as the Thestrals were packed and mounted.  
  
The order members somberly watched the procession, all having dressed in their gold Order robes for no reason but a silent agreement to respect the departing.  
  
Maddox and Amaury were the first to mount. Maddox was sure footed and looked at home atop the reptilian beast. Amaury on the other hand, could not see the Thestral and looked a bit queasy as a result. A small group of Canadians bid their friends farewell and mounted as well.  
  
As Frenchmen, Americans, Canadians and Brits alike all prepared to go, no parting was as sober as that of Bill and Harry as they said their farewells. Mrs. Weasley tried to conceal several stubborn tears as she grilled Bill about dressing properly for the weather, eating well and setting up a safe camp. Harry passed through all the Weasleys giving them hugs and exchanging a few words.  
  
"Stay out of trouble Gin" he smirked, hugging the girl he had come to see as a sister.  
  
"You too Potter" she laughed, a stray tears sliding down her smooth young cheek.  
  
Harry and Ron exchanged a strong brotherly hug with a slap on the back for good measure. "Stay wise you hear? And I don't mean with your mouth" Harry winked.  
  
"You be careful Harry. I'm expecting you back for the big battle."  
  
"You got me factored into your battle plan?"  
  
"You bet" Ron replied with a grin. "Best mates right? We'll fight side by side."  
  
"Not best mates. Brothers. We'll always be together mate, in life or death. Even the devil can't part us. We both know he's sure as hell tried." Harry grinned at the memories of their now juvenile seeming fights from the past. Sure as hell, nothing could keep them apart from long because there was always the more important issue of fighting evil.  
  
"Chudley Cannons forever?" Ron asked, his face dead pan.  
  
"You better believe it."  
  
With this very odd farewell Harry moved on to say good bye to Hermione. He wanted to kiss her, but she stepped back.  
  
"Don't Harry.... I just can't."  
  
He just nodded and looked into her eyes, a mixture of love and sorrow there. He handed her a heavy package wrapped in cloth.  
  
"I love you" he said in a strong, quite voice, and then he stepped aside to talk with Dumbledore.  
  
His mentor's eyes held no twinkle, but rather a grave sort of wisdom. He placed a fatherly hand on Harry's shoulder. "You have exceeded every expectation I had for you Mr. Potter. I know you hate the term, but you are, by definition, a hero. Do what you must and have no doubt; as long as there is a breath left in my body, this castle will not fall."  
  
Harry gave him an appreciative smile that was in accord with every fiber of his being. He turned and mounted his Thestral and grabbed its reigns tightly. Giving them a hard tug the magnificent creature thundered into motion, running towards the Dark Forest. As Harry ran into the foggy thick of trees, the other riders followed in a thundering pack of noise. At the edge of the forest Harry gave Remus a short salute and blew Hermione a kiss. Charlie gave a wide wave...  
  
And then they were gone.  
  
((So there you have it. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!! Yes, it was a little dull, but a promise action, adventure and a MAJOR surprise next chapter. If you want to here a bit of chapter 13, go to ?user=Gunslinger5. That's my xanga where I'll be putting up a small excerpt or two.))  
  
Stahchild: Thank you for your compliments regarding my story. I appreciated your review very much. I think the trio are fundamental to any Harry Potter story, and I had to keep them together. I hope you keep reading and reviewing.  
  
Gryffindor620: Oh yeah, he really does need to be bitch slapped. I'll keep that in mind for the future.  
  
mrs-osbourne's-class: As always, thank you for your review. The reviews you give me are incredibly valuable to me as a writer. I'm glad you found the grave yard scene touching and not sappy. I'm also pleased that you agree with me on the unity of the allies. Next chapter picks it up a notch.  
  
Mabelmione: Your review was so incredibly flattering. It's just great that you're enjoying this fic so much, and it makes me feel as though writing it is worthwhile. Having loyal reviewers like you really inspires me to keep going with this story, despite how odd it may be at times.  
  
Theresa Black: Nice to hear from you, your constant reviews are a highlight of writing this fic for me. As for Harry making an entrance... I do actually spend a bit of time when writing, thinking about the way I depict Harry. I am infinitely pleased you've picked up on that. It was cool how you grabbed an excerpt from the story to point out. I enjoyed that. Thanks. 


	13. The Woods

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

((I'm back after my long break! This chapter took lots of boring work to get to you (not because its boring, but because I had to rewrite a lot of it). I hope you all just love it and it was worth my lousy time. Hehe.))

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"I shall be telling this with a sigh  
Somewhere ages and ages hence:  
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --  
I took the one less traveled by,  
And that has made all the difference."

-_Robert Frost__, Road Not Taken, The_

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It was late at night and Ginny was sitting at the window, enjoying the dazzling view as well as the cool spring breeze. Her gaze did not falter, even as a gentle breeze lifted her red hair from her pajama clad shoulders, sending it billowing up in a swaying dance.

A week had passed since Harry's brigade had rode off into the uncertain fog, but that was not currently on Ginny's mind. "Lumos" she muttered, her wand tip glowing as she stood off and glided over to the partially open wooden door. She headed down the corridor with naught to guide her but that one point of light. Eventually she found herself standing before Ron's door, and she gave a tentative knock.

Inside she heard a brief scurrying before the door creaked open. Ron's hair was all disheveled and he looked slightly disoriented. "What is it Ginny?" he asked in a rather snappish manner.

"We need to discuss something important" Ginny replied, not the least bit phased by her older brother's grouchiness.

Ron mumbled something incoherent and closed the door on her. She heard a little more shuffling going on inside, and when he reopened the door, Ginny could swear she heard Cho's voice from inside. She giggled quietly to herself.

The two Weasleys proceeded down the chilly corridor that had now become their home. Their glowing wands lit the way as they went, and Ron was reminded of how only a year ago he had been sneaking through said halls with Hermione, missing Harry and his dear invisibility cloak.

"Well then, what is all this about?" Ron asked with an impatient sigh.

"I need to borrow your black chess pieces from the set you got for your birthday during second year."

"How pray tell, is this so important?" Ron sputtered.

"Well, see Hermione and I sort of need to grind them into dust" Ginny grimiced.

"Ginny! Have you gone bloody mad? Why the hell would you want to obliterate my chess pieces?"

"For fun Ron" Ginny answered with wide eyed innocence. "No you git, we need them for a potion, we need black volcanic rock, and this is the only way I think we can get it."

"Uh- huh..." Ron muttered skeptically. "What sort of potion is this Gin? Answer me that one."

"An important one Ron. It's top secret, I really can't share the details."

"I'm not buying it little sister. You'll have to do better than that" Ron scoffed.

"Please Ron, if you won't do this for me, at least do it for Hermione. She's your best friend for Merlin's sake, you've been through..."

"Don't try to play that card against me Ginny" Ron warned. "I don't owe her any favors. So why don't you just tell me what you're trying to hide."

At this point their walk came to a halt just outside the Court Yard. Both dressed in their pajamas, they stopped walking and simply stood there in the hallway, lit only by their wands and the dull flicker of torches along the wall. Ginny shifted uncomfortably as Ron gave her a half irritated, half concerned look.

She looked down and let out a little sigh. "Okay, it's something I'm helping Hermione with... it's a charm to find Chrome."

Ron laughed in a know- it- all manner that fiercely resembled one of Percy's laughs. "Oh 'helping Hermione' are we? Sure Ginny, if that's all it's about than why were so adverse to letting me know?"

Ginny paused for a second, realizing that through her own suspicious approach she'd hung herself in a manner of speaking. "Well Ron, you've made it clear that you really don't like Chrome."

Ron frowned as she said this, the expression casting long sharp shadows across his light freckled skin. "I like Chrome fine Ginny. It's him liking you that I'm a bit less than fond of."

Ginny was instantly infuriated and exasperated with Ron. "Really Ron, when will you get over the over protective big brother thing?"

Ron studied his cherished baby sister by the glow of his wand. She had grown to become very intelligent and brave over the years, but at the same time, fiercely independent and almost so sly and cunning that her mind sometimes resembled that of a Slytherin's. In one way, her accomplished attributes made him proud, but in another way, they scared him. He could still remember his mother taking him aside before second year and giving him a long speech regarding Ginny. "Watch out for your sister Ronald" she'd said. "We both know the Twins certainly won't, and Percy will be to wrapped up with his other responsibilities to really have time." That year Ginny had been taken into the Chamber of Secrets and he had ALMOST lost her, but Harry managed to save her just in time, something he would be eternally grateful for. Ever since then he had vowed never to let it come that close again.

"My being protective is something you wouldn't understand" Ron eventually replied, and he started heading back towards his room, not really wanting to further the conversation.

Ginny was relentless however, and followed him as soon as he started walking away. "Ron, Chrome is a fine person and he saved my life. Does that mean anything to you?"

"Of course it does" he snapped, slightly hurt that she could possibly even question him on such a thing. "But Ginny, you're wrong about him. He's treacherous, corrupt, vulgar... bloody hell, the man was incarcerated for organized crime not all that long ago! He's not the friendly boy from herbology, he just isn't your type."

"Really now Ron? And who is 'my type'? Dean? Oh yes he was very nice a gentleman; a man of priority and morality, hell, he was even a friend of yours. How did that turn out Ron? He went off and put all our work into jeopardy. He betrayed everyone here, including me whom you seem so fond of tying to protect. You can't guard me from everything Ron. Now listen up. Hermione wants her brother back with her. It may be hard to see, but they are family and they do love each other."

"They're only half siblings" Ron muttered, realizing he couldn't win. "Fine Ginny, I will give you what you request, only because it's important to Hermione. I just want you to stay away from Chrome. Despite what you may think, he's no good."

Ginny nodded.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The woods had been growing hot and steamy as they continued into the interior of the Dark forest. It was as through every gnarled plant radiated its own sickening warmth. The sun never felt hotter, their stomachs never sicker. To make matters worse, they had passed a security barrier so that they could no longer use magic. As they rode along on their Thestrals the heat started getting to the group.

Perspiration clung to the bare skin of the men who rode shitless. They didn't even talk as they galloped along through the eerie woods, and Harry could sense a building tension that was concerning him greatly.

"It's not fair that you men can take your shirts off" complained a rather lovely British woman named Dylan Lucas with long silky black hair and fierce green eyes. She was an auror, and Dumbledore had a high opinion of her abilities. Nevertheless, it was clear that the twenty nine year old was not any less phased by the heat than the rest.

"It's fine with me if you take your shirt off" Maddox teased with a tired sweaty grin.

"Shut up asshole" retaliated the red headed American girl with the Southern accent.

Amaury, who was looking exceptionally queasy laughed in the general direction of Maddox. "You zes, you 'ave a real gift with ze ladies no?"

"Shut up Jeeves" Maddox snapped with an angry look. He gave his Thestral's harness a sharp jerk and charged it at Amaury, causing his Thestral to jolt so quickly that he nearly slid off the invisible creature.

"Knock it off" Bill shouted, looking quite pissed himself.

Harry merely sped up to the front of the group and hoped like hell that some sort of breeze would come and cool the tempers of his comrades.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

In the week that had passed Hermione barely slept. She kept herself busy for the most part, but her mind kept wandering after Harry. She couldn't stop worrying about where he was, and how he was faring. She missed the random moments of comfort he had provided her. She missed the simple feeling of him being around her, the taste of his kisses, the sound of his voice. She had nightmares and awoke with the intense need for him to hold her. But he was never there. It was like he had dies again.

She ran her fingers over the course cloth that wrapped what felt like a book. She still hadn't opened the parcel Harry had handed her before his departure. She feared that if it was something overly sentimental it would break her heart and make the hard days even harder. Yet now she found herself undoing his sloppy wrapping. She pulled off the cloth and saw that it was in fact an old Chudley Cannons t-shirt, something Ron had given Harry long ago. She marveled at the memories it inspired, and as she felt the material she noticed it still carried Harry's scent, and that somehow comforted her.

Placing the shirt aside, Hermione looked down at the book she had uncovered. Judging by its worn leather binding it was a photo album, and as she turned the pages she nearly cried merely from nostalgia. Pictures of herself, Harry and Ron throughout their Hogwarts days. Then even older pictures, pictures of him as a baby, pictures of his parents, the marauders, and even an odd one of the old Order of the Phoenix. When the pictures ended, there was something else that was very strange indeed.

There were newspaper clippings from the Daily Prophet, several of Hermione as head girl, and some of Ron as Quidditch captain. What was so intriguing about the whole thing was that Harry had not been at Hogwarts when said events had transpired. During their sixth and seventh years he had been off training with Soceress of the Stars, Altair Aquilla.

What all this meant to Hermione was that for those years in which she thought he had forgotten them and cared only for exacting his revenge on the Dark Lord, he had still been thinking of them. There was something innately lonely about that.

In the back cover of the album she found a thin skeleton key embedded, and a short note written in his distinctive scrawl.

Hermione-

This key gives you access to Gryffindor Manor via the floo network. I don't know why, but I think you should be able to visit there in my absence.

Love,

Harry

She read this with a bit of confusion. Gryffindor Manor was currently the home of those Hogwarts students with no real home to go to when the school had been evacuated. She wasn't sure why she would want to go there, but as she placed the key down she had a deep, certain feeling that only time could tell.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

It was several days later when Ginny and Hermione found themselves preparing to create the potion and cast the spell which would reveal Chrome to them.

They were gathered in an empty classroom, crouched down on the cold stone floor and counting the potions one last time. The potion they were about to create would conjure an image upon its surface which could reveal the location of one Chrome Granger, but it was by no means a simple task. While its fast acting ingredients did allow it to be brewed quickly, it also had to be timed perfectly, and demanded perfect measurements down to the very last grain. The chants and spells accompanying the potion were at a professional level of complexity, and thus it would be a vast understatement to say that the girls were a bit nervous over the whole thing.

"Okay" Hermione breathed standing up. "I think we're all set."

"Me too. If we count all this stuff again I think I'll go cross eyed." Ginny gazed down apprehensively at the spread of ingredients beneath them. She was glad she was only wearing shorts and no robe as she suddenly had a rather nightmarish vision of accidentally sweeping everything out of place with a swish of a hem.

"Grab the chalk" Hermione commanded. "Do you have your copy of the spell?"

"For the thousandth time, yes."

"Don't get all snappy then. Start writing the chant, I'll do this half of the circle, you do the other half."

"This does what exactly?" Ginny huffed, kneeling down and starting to copy the long chant in her tiny, neat handwriting.

"It blocks outside magic from interfering" Hermione explained in a rather distracted sounding tone of voice.

"Interesting" Ginny commented as the two pieces of chalk scrawled loudly across the stone floor of the very empty room.

"Why didn't You- Know- Who ever use this to find Harry?" Ginny inquired quite suddenly as they worked.

"Well, that's rather simple Ginny, just use your brain. Harry always had some sort of protection around him. Growing up it was either the blood connection with the Dursley's or else Dumbledore's magic. Later, I mean after he left Hogwarts, he had his own powers which he used to create a sort of shield. Let's just hope nobody is shielding Chrome with a similar sort of thing."

"Well that isn't terribly likely seeing as he isn't a wizard" Ginny stated, finishing her connecting section of her arc to complete the circle.

"Alright then, we're done" Hermione announced, dusting her hands off. "Now let's activate the shield and start the potion."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The Thestrals slowly trod their hot and tired bodies across a flat dusty field headed for a very dark expanse of trees on the other side. The ancient vegetation seemed to spread out with snarling roots in such a manner that they almost built a wall against those forthcoming.

"Sunset is approaching" Bill muttered nervously. "Can't we set up camp out on this field; avoid the forest for a little while?"

"I'd rather not" Harry scowled. "It's too dangerous to sleep in the open."

"Who elected you leader?" Snarled the angry voice of one of their middle aged comrades.

"He IS the leader you dumb ass" the red head American girl retorted.

"Who asked your opinion Red?" Maddox shouted, still angry about being called an asshole earlier that day.

"Got a problem with red heads?" Bill asked in a menacing manner, urging his Thestral forward towards the blonde American boy.

"SILENCE!" Harry commanded, his cool green eyes remaining emotionless. "You want a democracy? Fine then. Who wants to sleep out here?"

All but three raised their hands. "So be it" Harry replied, dismounting.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The last ingredient sizzled into the cauldron and immediately it turned a bright green, its radiance filling the dark empty room.

"Is this a good thing?" Ginny nervously whispered, eyeing the color with concern.

"SHHH!" Hermione hissed. She unfolded a neat piece of parchment. "Magic of the ancient light, reveal to us who you might. We seek Raymond Granger. Make his location known."

"Raymond?" Ginny giggled. "His real name is Raymond?"

"Ginny!"

"Sorry- it's not a bad name- just terribly surprising."

"Shut- up!"

Suddenly the liquid was churning and a green mist lifted from its surface. Both girls were captivated as they waited for the thick fog to past. Eventually it did, and beneath it the potion had turned flat and silver, much like a mirror.

For a moment Hermione was sure they had failed. But then a shadowy image crept across the surface in a slow almost lethargic manner. As it focused Hermione realized it was a car, and then another. The were looking down upon a busy, dirty street. The view began to turn, as though they were watching a movie shifting camera angles. She saw a run down apartment building called "London Heights", gradually moving towards the front doors which quickly opened. Then, as though in fast forward, they traveled up the stairs beyond and ended abruptly at a beat wooden door with the number "23" painted on it.

The image was slowly fading until finally the potion went black.

"What the bloody hell..." Ginny whispered.

"Apartment 23, London Heights" Hermion said in a matter of fact tone. She stood up and cleaned the mess up with a flick of her wand. "Let's go" Hermione commanded the still seated, utterly baffled Weasley.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Harry lay out under the stars on his bed spread. The vast stars of the open skies amazed him and he wondered what Hermione would have to say.

He could just hear her voice in his tired, throbbing mind, breaking across the exhaustion like a calming wave. "Honestly Harry" he heard her saying, "if you had read 'Endeavors in Astronomy' you would know that..." he grinned as his simulation Hermione ranted on in that know- it- all voice. He already missed her terribly even though it had only been a little over a week.

The fire crackled as the person on watch tossed in some more branches. He could smell the smoke as it wafted into the cooling summer air. As he slept with no shirt on, his bare skin welcomed the cool breeze that whispered across the open field.

Harry could hear the low murmur of Maddox and Bill playing cards, the clip clop of the Thestral's hooves, the rustle of the poisonous leaves in the forest, and the pacing of the watch man's feet. But suddenly it went deathly silent. Harry bolted upright, his mind spinning. Nobody else stirred. His heart gave three hard beats that he could hear resounding in his ears.

"RUN FOR COVER!" He shouted. He was instantly on his feet, slinging his pack over his naked shoulders. Chaos ensued as he grabbed his blanket and began to dash for the trees.

Screams and shouts echoed as a great, silent, winged dragon ascended up into the starry sky, silver wings spread wide. It screamed a shrill cry, and many couldn't help but to quickly cover their ears. Harry rolled behind a tree and threw his belongings into a haphazardly formed pile. He ran full speed into the field as the dragon swooped down upon his fleeing comrades. He drew Gryffindor's sword from its sheath at his side as he ran.

Many would insist Harry leapt ten feet in the air though it was later quite difficult to recall. Just before the dragon's blood stained teeth were able to close in on one of the running many, Harry brought himself level with the creature's neck and thrust his sword through its thick hide. The stab wasn't very deep for the skin was terribly roungh, but the sting did send the monster reeling back as Harry dislodged his weapon and landed firmly on his feet.

He waved his allies past as they made for the cover of the trees and he readied his sword once more, prepared for the dragon's next assault. The mighty creature drew its long neck back and lunged forward at Harry. Harry rolled out of the way last minute and the dragon's face crashed down into the rocky soil of the field.

It flew up into the sky once more, black blood dripping down its shiny silver body, rippling with muscle under the night sky. Harry knew he stood alone in the field, and as his comrades tried to creep from their hiding places and help and gestured with great confidence that they must stay put. He did not want them to use any magic, not when it would set off alarms notifying Voldemort of their presence.

The dragon let out a brain scrabbling cry and then swooped to ground level, flying at Harry with full speed.

Harry brought his sword to shoulder level like a knight jousting with a lance. He stared at the incredible creature soaring at him with all rapidity. The dragon was more of blur than an identifiable object as it bore down upon him. Harry held his ground. Just as the dragon was about to scoop him up in its mouth, Harry dropped to one knee and used the dragon's own force to drive the sword into its throat. Feeling the painful jolt in his upper body he let go and hit the ground, letting the dragon skim over him. Over a hundred feet away the beast skidded to the ground with a massive cloud of dust which rose up into the clear night sky and vanquished some of the stars from sight.

Harry slowly arose and walked over to retrieve his weapon from where it was embedded.

After that night, nobody questioned the leadership of Harry James Potter.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Another week passed for the stoic group of heroes in their quest for the heart of the dark forest. Meanwhile at Hogwarts, training commenced while at night Hermione and Ginny prepared to retrieve Chrome.

After a slow, hard week yet another evening was setting on the Dark Forest, and the group was growing uneasy as they settled down for the night, cooking a meager dinner of dried goods. The forest had been growing denser and wilder by the day, and their progress was dramatically slowing as they were forced to literally chop back the underbrush to create a path. They were all covered in numerous scratches from the Snapspike Bushes which lashed out at them like whips with prickers while they hiked past. The thick foliage seemed seemed to be closing in on them, and they were all experiencing some degree of claustrophobia. Each night they slept with one eye open, nobody could gain decent rest after the dragon incident.

Harry heated a bit of water for himself and dabbed a handkerchief in it, using it to clean out the deep slashes above and below his eyes as well as on his neck and arms. Despite the sweltering hot weather, Harry did his best to cover up each day to protect other regions of his body from the nasty magical plants. He cleaned his wounds carefully, the last thing any of them needed was infection. Illness in general was a risk none could afford.

As the stars took the sky dinner was served- a sort of dried beans and meat stew with hard, flavorless bread. They had been carefully rationing supplies the whole way. Harry filled his tin bowl and ate with the told out spoon on his pocket knife, a Christmas gift from Ron just months ago, just before he had "died". The food may have been terrible, but he savored it none the less, allowing himself time to think as he filled his mouth and took a swig of water from his canteen.

Bill plopped down beside him with his own rations of dinner, and said nothing as he proceeded to eat. A few moments passed before Bill asked Harry for a drink of water, holding out his banged up metal cup.

"You know Potter" Bill said, pausing to drink. "I'm not feeling too sure about this place... I mean, it's always eerie, but tonight in particular I don't think I'll be able to sleep." As if to confirm his fears the trunks of the trees groaned in unison as a large, unexpected gust of wind burst out from the forest. "It's like every rock, tree and blade of grass has eyes and a mind. I don't like it one bit."

Harry remained silent a moment, scraping the last bit of food out of the bowl and shoveling it into his mouth. "Yes, you probably shouldn't go to sleep tonight" he grumbled, washing off his utensils with a quick splash of water. He was growing nervous that un poisoned water sources would soon grow scarce.

Bill sat up straight surprised by this cynical statement. He had expected Harry to assuage his fears, not intensify them. "Wha- what do you mean by that?"

"Dangerous things are afoot. Since we've come into the forest I've been aware of it, but the danger is intensifying." He stopped a moment and reached down the front of his unbuttoned shirt to retrieve a pendant that hung around his neck. He held it up for Bill to see and the young Weasley's eyes grew as he studied the intricate detail of the golden lion whose eyes now grew red. "Hermione gave it to me for Christmas" he explained. "It's eyes turn red when danger is very near. They've been growing increasingly red since about noon. We're being followed."

Harry's tone was so flat and yet so deadly it sent a shiver down Bill's spine. "So, what can we do?"

"Oh not much, just wait for the most part."

"Do you even have any clue what it is that's following us?"

"Well, I really don't want to say for sure. It could be any number of things knowing these forests. It sure as hell isn't a pack of Cornish Pixies."

Bill caught Harry's eye, and Harry did not miss the look of seriousness mixed with a tinge of fear. "Harry, what do you THINK it is? I know you have at least a slight feeling as to what it could be."

"Well..." Harry began slowly. "If I were to put my galleon on anything... there's a group of werewolves out there."

Two cloaked figures walked down the winding path to Hogsmede. Both cloaks were black with the distinct Hogwarts emblem embroidered at the chest. Though it was summer out they wore their hoods up, and they must have been using a cooling charm for just then a hot breeze blew across the path scattering a whirlwind of parched leaves.

"Hermione" Ginny hissed "when can we put the hoods down? I'm suffocating!"

"As soon as we get to Hogsmeade" Hermione replied in a scornful tone. "We can't be seen leaving the grounds."

"Yes, because then we would be caught breaking our own curfew rules" Ginny sighed. "Seems a bit hypocritical wouldn't you say?"

"Ginny, I only have one thing to say to you, and that is shut up."

"Ouch."

"Sh!"

The two continued bickering as they approached Hogsmede, led by their illuminated wand tips. As they entered the once cheery village they were now greeted by what resembled a ghost town. The streets were empty, no lights were on. Every store front was boarded up securely, with no notice as to what had happened. Both of the girls knew though. Everyone had moved away from the danger. The world was too perilous to pursuit normalcy. An abandoned crumpled EMA recruiting poster drifted down the street. It had only been a few months since Ginny and Chrome had stopped to read that very poster. How quickly the world changed.

"Okay, we're past the apparation barrier" Hermione declared, her voice sounding nervous.

"Oh, Ron would kill us if he knew we were here alone!" Ginny whined.

"Do you really care Ginny?" Hermione cynically inquired.

"No actually. Alright, so where are we apparating?"

"Diagon Alley. We'll enter Muggle London and take the Knight Bus to London Heights." Hermione raised her wand and popped away, soon followed by Ginny.

The stagnant heat and queasy feeling of unease kept each member of Harry's team awake well into the night. Bill found himself jumping at every little noise. Every stick that snapped, every groan of the sad old trees. He kept remembering Harry's warning and he took it very seriously. He had always taken Harry seriously though he was the same age as his youngest brother. Something about Harry demanded seriousness.

Out of the black surroundings came the snap of a time louder than any before.

"Harry" Bill whispered in a raspy voice, crawling off his bedding and throwing on his boots and shirt. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes, whatever it is has us surrounded" Harry said in a flat voice. "Don't make any quick moves."

If Harry had meant to calm any fears he accomplished quite the opposite. Everyone was soon up and moving about, packing their bags and crouching down trying to peer off into the dark.

As the group drew their wands a sudden howl filled the air.

"Damn it Harry, it would seem that you were right!" Bill whispered. "They are werewolves."

"Keep your cool" Harry said evenly as they all stood there staring off into the forest. Another strong gust of wind rushed in from the depths of the depths of the forest, and the trees swayed madly revealing a swollen moon.

Then the assault began. The wolfish fiends leapt from their covering, flying high up into the air. The claws of one connected with one of the group members, tearing him down to the ground. Harry withdrew his blade and raised it above his head, running towards the creature with a fierce cry. He ran the blade through its flesh. Howling in pain the creature turned rapidly, its red eyes staring at Harry with disbelief as he clutched the blood stained weapon before.

Harry watched with shock as the open wound slowly healed itself. These werewolves were of a different breed... ancient and immortal. A breed thought to have long died off. Harry regained himself as the beast let out a low snarl. He brought the sword into fighting position. He sliced at one arm and then across the chest. He ducked a blow from one of the werewolf's razor sharp claws and thrust the blade up through its gut. Harry back off quickly, knowing all injuring it did was buy him time. His blade was now a very gory sight. It reminded him of after he had stabbed the basilisk. At least he had a weapon though. The rest of his group was fleeing off into the forest, trying not to use magic to fight back. Werewolves may be bad, but Voldemort sending in Death Eaters on dragon back would be worse, and that was exactly what would happen if they used magic and alerted him to their presence.

Maddox was running when he tripped over the prone form of the man who Harry had just spared from being killed. He grabbed the injured fellows arm and started to drag him away. Unfortunately, the guy was tall and all muscle. Suddenly he felt lighter and Maddox realized somebody was helping him with the load. He looked over to see Amaury with the unconscious man's over his shoulder.

"Let's get a move on" Maddox grunted. He could here a scurry of werewolf movement behind him.

"Yes, that 'ould be 'ery nice. But as a warning, I 'on't 'esitate to feed you to them."

"Thanks."

"We cannot beat these 'erewolves. I saw 'Arry Potter trying to... they're immortal."

"Hey" Maddox grunted, "in the movies aren't they always using garlic or some shit like that to ward them off?"

"Silver" Amaury corrected with a roll of his eyes. They both stumbled over a root at approximately the same time but regained their balance. A monstrous werewolf was closing in on them.

Diagon Allley wasn't exactly deserted... worse yet, the only people wandering the streets appeared to be dark wizards. A pale skinned man with long black hair brushed past the girls giving them a snarl of superiority and Hermione was tempted to snarl back but contained herself.

A bald wizard with shabby brown robes was singing in a slurred manner as he left the Leaky Cauldron. "Hey girls" he hiccupped, "long live the dark lord!"

Both of the girls were shocked by his forwardness in mentioning his allegiance. It meant a very bad thing indeed when Voldemort sympathizers were walking freely down the street with no fear of being caught.

However a moment later someone did catch him. Out of nowhere a witch with jet black hair and a tall, graceful stature appeared in front of him. She hexed him into the wall where he connected with a loud thud.

He cried out like a child and clutched his bald head between his hands. "I pledged my allegiance!" He shrieked, but she didn't lower her wand.

"Didn't stop you from blabbing off did it. Who did you tell?"

"He was for the dark lords cause! I..." He screamed as she sent a bolt of what looked like blue lightening through him. Hermione grabbed Ginny's arm and pulled her into a nearby alleyway to hide.

"Who was it?" She asked once more, her tone stiff and deadly.

"I don't know his name... I've seen him around though..." he was panting, trying desperately to speak, but she was shocking him once more.

"What did he look like?"

Neither Ginny nor Hermione heard his response because they both silently slipped past the scene before them and into the Leaky Cauldron. They exchanged nervous glances as the entered, passing through hastily, both secretly gripping their wands.

They didn't breathe again until they were out on the sidewalk, beneath a hazy orange street light. "I thought we were dead for sure!" Ginny gasped.

"Very nice Ginny, now, let's see if..." holding out her wand, it seemed as though Stan Shunpike's appearance was almost immediate. He stepped off the Knight Bus giving his little spiel, but neither girls felt like listening and they brushed past him and onto the bus.

"Where to?" he asked in a depressed tone.

"London Heights" they said at the exact same moment. They smiled at each other a bit, but were both still shaken up ever so slightly.

Stan suddenly puffed himself up as though attempting to look buff and gave each of them a crooked toothed grin. "Why such a short journey ladies? Why not take a quick tour around? It's quite a ride..."

"Yes, yes Stan, I'm sure it is. But we really don't have time" Ginny hastily interjected. Hermione repressed a laugh. Stan deflated a little, and they would have felt bad for him but there was no time for any such emotions.

They bus lurched into motion and both girls clung on for dear life. Indeed it was a short ride, scarcely two minutes had passed when Ernie was slamming the breaks on in front of London Heights. They both exited ignoring Stan's flirtatious comments.

"What Hermione, you don't want his floo address?" Ginny giggled as they ran up the apartment steps. "It's a once in a life time opportunity to do better than Harry."

The contrast of the two was so ridiculous Hermione laughed out loud. "Damn Ginny, when you put it that way..."

They both stopped teasing as they realized they were standing before the apartment door that had been shown to them in the potion's reflective surface.

Hermione silently unlocked the door with her wand and they both entered, not sure what to expect.

Hermione could have anticipated anything from a group of drunken mobsters singing to a random dance party involving a disco ball. What she would never have expected was the sight that greeted her.

A surprised looking Chrome Granger looked up from the hand of cards before him. In front of him was a half empty bottle of whiskey. And across from him was none other than Draco Malfoy.

((How about that huh? I do believe I've already written the next chapter... I'll try to get it to you in the not too distant future. Review and give me your thoughts. Please.))

Mrs-Osbourne's-Class: Yet another heart warming review from you. Hehe. I hope my rapid transitions aren't confusing, I like to keep it semi intense by swapping back and forth, but I may just be giving some people a headache.

Pink Truffles: What a fabulous review. It has been awesome to be able to talk with you, it's always great to hear from other HP fans (know you aren't alone in the time eating obsession). I'm glad that both the angst and the humor of this fic are able to come across to the readers. Furthermore, it's wonderful to hear that someone thinks I'm talented. Thanks again!

Wildkat: Even short reviews (especially those that are nice) are great. Thanks for taking the time to review.

Sweetfiregirl: Nice that someone loves my fic besides me. Just kidding. Thanks for the positive feed back.

Mabelmione: How was this chapter for some action. I'd say a bit more happened than has happened in a while. A little less talk a little more action as they say.

Ryan T. Nelson: Your review was the best one I've gotten in a long time. It was well rounded and written in such a professional manner that it was very easy for my to understand what elements you particularly liked. I'm very pleased to hear you were able to read both "The Darkest Hours" and "Ashes of the Phoenix" and enjoy them. I know my grammar isn't the best, and that's for two reasons, one is that I write very late at night most often, and the other is that I have chosen not to use a beta simply because I'd rather just post and not take time to go through the arduous labor of corresponding with an editor. Anyhow, thank you for inspiring me to continue when I'd nearly lost interest.

Stahchild: Thank you for your compliments on the chapter, hopefully this one kept up to par.

Excaliburszone: I'm glad you have found my story interesting as that is my primary intent. As for the grammar mistakes, I have been aware for a while that I make them on a semi regular basis (not that that makes matters any better). Anyhow, I've had plenty of chances to take on a beta reader, but I haven't because I'd rather just enjoy the writing process than pick over the mistakes. A lot of it has to do with laziness. Anyhow, I hope you can enjoy the fic nonetheless.

Cyress: Thanks for your support and review.


	14. Sleeping Awake

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

((I'm puting this chapter up before school starts and I get busy again. I think you'll find it reasonably long. Happy reading. Also, sorry about the lack of breaks in the last chap.... my lines went away when I put it online.))

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"Not everyone is meant to make a difference. But for me, the choice to lead an ordinary life is no longer an option."

-Spiderman

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Werewolves could be one hell of an enemy.

"Hide over 'ere!" Amaury yelled, and the two men dragged their incapacitated comrade behind a large boulder. They crouched in its shadow, a blue waver of light cast off from the full moon stretching out on the black soil just beyond them.

"They'll be able to smell us here" Maddox breathed, his heart pounding in his ears.

"You're not as stupid as you look!" Amaury exclaimed with mock surprise. Maddox just laughed. He was finally getting used to the crabby old Frenchman. He pulled his pack off his back, having forgotten he'd been transporting such a heavy burden the whole way. He dug through its contents for a flask of whiskey. He could hear the low growl of a werewolf as it sniffed about. Maddox had quickly decided that if he was going to die, he would die with a drink in his hand. He pulled a Thestral harness out of the way and tossed it onto Amaury's lap, cursing the Thestrals for having flown off and leaving them alone over a stupid dragon. Had the nasty horse like creatures not abandoned them they could be flying out of harms way.

Then something occurred to him just as he reached for the flask. Something Harry had told them one day. He had taken it as ridiculous at the time... but now it may just save their lives.

Maddox could suddenly hear Harry's voice in his mind. "Thestrals won't let you harness them unless what you use has some bit of silver in it. It's just another weird thing about them."

"Silver!" He yelled out, earning a deep growl from the werewolf. He scrambled to take back the harness, and grabbed his pocket knife out. He could hear the werewolf leap up from the ground. He cut the silver loose from the harness. He could feel the werewolf slowly descend upon him from the air. He took the two sharp, ornamental disks in his hands. The weight of the creature was collapsing down on him. He reached up and thrust the small disks into the werewolf's chest.

The creature growled loudly and staggered back. Maddox could feel his own blood mixing with the werewolf's, for the disks had also cut his palms open. He waited, unable to breathe as he waited to see if his idea would work

The werewolf fell over with a loud thud, writing on the ground as the silver's poison spread through its veins. It thrashed violently from side to side. Its motions appeared to slow, its cries faded. And then it seemed to take a collective breath. In a split second it lashed out through the air and flew within centimeters of Maddox's face. Two soft thuds filled Maddox's ears. Then the beast laid still, four silver disks impaling its body.

Maddox sucked in a slow, uneasy breath. "Holy shit" he stuttered, and turned slowly, wide eyed. He looked at Amaury, who was just standing there after having thrown the two disks into the beast's flesh.

"Zat was close" he drawled.

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Hermione couldn't decide whether to let her eyes settle on the childhood tormentor who she had sent to Azkaban several months ago, or her brother who was looking a bit surprised, but even more amused.

"Close the door" he said in that husky tough guy voice he seemed to be so fond of.

She did close the door. Slammed it actually.

"Careful Granger, this is an expensive apartment" Malfoy smirked with blatant sarcasm. His expression suddenly turned ugly, and he began to stand, but Chrome was quicker and had a gun pointed at the blonde man's head in the bat of an eyelash.

"Be a good dark evil wizard and go to bed now" Chrome said in a patronizing tone.

Malfoy gave him a frosty cold glance. "Mark my words, when I get my hands on a real wand, I'll put your ridiculous hulking body in so many pieces they won't even be able to recognize one piece of meat from the other."

"Big talk is all you are Malfoy" Chrome called out after the retreating form of Draco Malfoy.

As soon as Malfoy was out of the room Hermione stormed over to Chrome and stood over him, glowering with a deep fury. "Raymond Paul Granger, what in the bloody hell is going on? You leave with no notice, and I find you in a run down Muggle flat with an escape Death Eater who nearly killed me!"

She was trembling with fury and Chrome shifted a little. Ginny was quietly laughing over the fact that his full name was Raymond Paul.

"Okay... yeah so this probably doesn't look so good..." he muttered.

"DOESN'T LOOK SO GOOD?!" She yelled and something exploded in the cupboard.

"Just let me explain" he offered, and he moved his gun into its holster on his belt, looking slightly unnerved. Ginny couldn't blame him, one of the most powerful witches alive was uncontrollably furious at him, and for good reason.

"You know Chrome, I don't want to hear it. I had thought you'd changed, that you weren't still the same egocentric asshole you were as a child, but it would seem that for once, I am indeed very wrong." She was growing visibly upset. "I don't know why I ever hoped to call you my brother. I'd just assume we be strangers again."

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Harry could feel his muscles scream in protest as he raised his weapon for what felt like the millionth time and launched another assault on the werewolf. It seemed as though injuring the creature wasn't very difficult, but the fact that it was healing seemed to make any chance of victory impossible.

He rolled away from the beast's enraged blow, and countered it with the swift fall of his blade. Harry's arms and legs were growing stiff, his mind tired, and he was now covered in drying blood. He drew in a long breath, and suddenly heard a loud crashing noise from behind him. He spun quickly on his heel to see another werewolf lumbering towards him. "Oh shit" he muttered.

He tightened his grip so hard that he could feel calluses welling up on his palm. He tried to relax his muscles as he readied himself for the approaching assault. He waited until the last minute and leveled his weapon with the werewolf's neck. His weapon bit into flesh and then he spun quickly to thrust it into the werewolf behind him. Both creatures staggered back and Harry took the opportunity to run. "There's no way I can keep this up" he thought as he sheathed the blade and ran full speed through the black forest.

He could hear them behind him and he breathed hard, heavy breaths as he progressed along, leaping over roots and stumping, taking stray branches to the face as he fled. He could hear water up ahead of him, and he began to picture himself trapped between a raging river and two very enraged werewolves. He wondered if anyone else was even still alive.

He broke free of the heavy vegetation and ran down an open hill. He stumbled on a loose root and felt himself fall hard, crashing down on the solid ground with a bone breaking force. He tumbled a ways and finally landed one last time on his back. He groaned in pain and slowly opened his eyes, his head spinning.

He couldn't see straight as he gazed into the cold, deadly night sky. The moon was a white haze to his muddled brain and he tried to remember a time when he thought it beautiful, for now it only seemed cruel and hateful. He heard the werewolves running towards him, and turned to his side, dragging himself along the ledge where he lay. He dug his bruised hands into the ground and writhed across the hard soil, ignoring the extreme pain the seemed to emanate from every bone and muscle in his body. Finally he reached the ledges edge and looked over it, blood trickling down his face in the process.

He could hear rushing water below his and furious growls behind him. He took hold of the ledge's side, and threw himself off.

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Chrome stood up quickly, ready to defend against Hermione's harsh accusations. "That isn't bloody fair" he said to Hermione, becoming angry himself. "It's like you've always waited for me to do something wrong. And why, because I was a trouble maker as a child?"

"A troublemaker as a child?!" Hermione yelled. "Chrome, 'troublemaker' is a far cry from classifying you. You think 'so what, I made my father a nervous wreck and broke a few laws.' What you fail to remember is that you hurt others along the way. I mean, forget our father, you only put him on anti depressants and what not, but he was the least of the people you've hurt."

"You think I don't know that?!" He growled. "Why can't you just forgive me?"

"I DID!" She furiously replied. "And see what it earned me?"

"I took a bullet for this cause! In my frigging gut, and then after that, when you were totally out of it, I stayed. Because I thought I'd finally found a place where I could do some good, where I could pay back my sins."

"So now, what you think they're paid back with a little extra left over and so you head off with a death eater?"

"I never left the cause!" He desperately shouted.

She suddenly felt utterly confused. Either something was going on or he had a terrible case of denial. "Explain" she prompted, and he did just that.

He started by looking at Ginny, his face sad and somewhat apprehensive. "Ginny do you remember a few months ago when you and I were in the Owlery just after Davensport had been attacked?"

"Yes" she said, looking a bit uncomfortable. "It was just before we had to evacuate all the students and transform the school into a full time battle head quarters."

Chrome nodded, "yes, the Davensport attack resulted in such great losses that it made everyone more aware of the dangerous situation at hand; everyone began to see how powerful the Death Eater armies were becoming. It also made Harry see that we didn't have anyone spying on the Death Eaters anymore, that Snape had been thrown out of the loop."

"What does this have to do with the time we were in the Owlery?" Ginny asked confused.

"Well, it started just after you left..."

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((FLASHBACK))

Harry had just entered the Owlery.

"What're you two up to?" Harry teased Chrome and Ginny, not really suspecting anything of them.

"We were starting a hot affair before you burst in" Chrome said with his typical sarcasm.

"Ginny, go see Hermione, she's in her room. You need to help her with something." Harry said abruptly, remembering why he was there.

Ginny nodded and went out the door without looking back, leaving Harry and Chrome behind.

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"After that Harry told me about the need for eyes amongst the enemy."

"Why did he come to you?" Hermione asked confused.

"Because Harry knew I can be very persuasive." He said in a rather cocky manner. "And perhaps a little evil as well. He knew we couldn't just disguise one of our own as a Death Eater, that we somehow needed to control one of those on the inside. So he sent me off to that wizard prison... uh... Azkaban to chose a death eater I thought I could tail, and by tail I mean manipulate."

"Out of all of the options, you chose the Death Eater that I imprisoned?" Hermione grouchily spat in his general direction.

"Well, I didn't know that at the time. All I really knew is that he seemed like the most self serving man I have yet to meet. He makes only one allegiance, and that is to himself."

"So how exactly do you control him?"

"I was getting to that" he grinned. "It's very simple. I take a gun and hold it to his back where no one else can see it. The moment he tries to make a quick move, I'll shoot him. There's no way he can be quicker than me. I mean, he doesn't even have a real wand, just a replica that does basic spells. Dumbledore had this Ollivander fellow make it."

"Ingenious" Ginny chirped, smiling at the thought of Draco being put under by a Muggle device.

Hermione was suddenly looking uncomfortable, and had let her accusatory gaze drop from Chrome's face down to the floor.

"I...uh, need to use the bathroom" Ginny mumbled, not wanting to be present for the sibling argument she felt coming. She knew what that approaching feeling was very well by name, seeing as she had so many brothers.

Chrome directed her to its location, and she hastened her way in leaving the room.

The moment Ginny was out, Hermione raised her eyes to her older half brother to apologize.

"It really just looked very suspicious..." she began, but he quickly cut her off, not the type for accepting apologies with good grace. In the past, if he felt hurt or betrayed it was rather like protocol to have the fellow murdered. Only problem here was that this was his sister.

"Yeah, it looked suspicious so you just went ahead and assumed the worse of me."

"As if you wouldn't have done any better?" Hermione snapped, already aware that the whole thing was not going well at all.

"Apparently you don't think so" he said dryly, and turned his back to her by pretending to look for something in the refrigerator.

"You talk about wanting forgiveness Chrome, but its clear you can't give any yourself."

"Sure, point all the blame at me!" He barked, and she could see his eyes were getting the old "Granger Flame" in them every time they got angry. She had a feeling she was reflecting that blaze in her own eyes.

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Harry hit the water like crashing down onto concrete, but he felt himself fall through, plunging down into the cold, black waters with incredible speed. The icy currents slowed his fall until he was descending to the river's bottom at a somewhat slower pace. He felt his back hit the rocky bottom and drag along a few feet before being stopped by a sunken log. He opened his eyes to the surrounding darkness, and looked up towards the surface. There he saw the shimmer of the moon in the water, a distant blot of light. Harry tried to move his arms to swim towards the surface, but an instant surge of pain informed him he has a few broken ribs. Instead he found his footing on the river's bottom and kicked hard, raising up towards the surface. As he got closer he moved his arms against the incredible pain to pull himself to the top.

He shot out of the water with a harsh cough for air, and then instantly sunk back down with the currents.

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Hearing the sudden silence and mistaking it for resolve, Ginny ventured out from the bathroom and back onto the speculative battlefield.

"Good, Ginny, I'm glad you're here. Let's go, I've had enough of his age old ungratefulness." Hermione snapped as soon as Ginny came into her line of vision.

"Please just relax Hermione. I don't think everything here is quite finished yet..." Ginny beckoned, but Hermione merely turned her back to go.

"Hermione, you can't go out there alone. Have you already forgotten what we saw on the way here?" Ginny asked, looking frustrated.

Images of the bald man being tortured went through Hermione's mind, and she stopped walking. "I wonder what that woman wanted?" She questioned out loud.

"Woman?" Chrome asked, standing up. "Did you say woman?"

Ginny giggled. "What's wrong Chrome, are you that lonely for female companionship?"

"No, it's not that... what did she look like?"

"Tall, long black hair..." Ginny answered, noting the worried tone in Chrome's voice.

"She's been after me... Voldemort knows there's a mole in his midst, and he put her out there to track me down. She doesn't know who I am yet. Or at least I don't think she does."

"That's comforting" Ginny said nervously. A moment of silence passed as they all stood there thinking.

"It's a good thing me and Malfoy were heading out tomorrow... a moment more around here and we'd be goners. Well, not that it would matter so much in the case of Malfoy." He added with an evil grin.

Ginny smiled back at him and Hermione loudly cleared her throat. "I think I'll just go lay down then if I can't leave."

"Right, I'll show you wear my room is if you'd like" he offered, heading towards the stairs. He stopped and looked back to see if she was following.

"Chrome, why do we have to fight like this? I'm proud of what you've done here, and I'm sorry if I have trouble trusting you." Hermione looked deeply grieved that they could never seem to make peace for long periods of time.

"I'm sorry I didn't inform you I was leaving" he offered in his sullen accented tones. A look of understanding seemed to pass between the two of them before he showed her to a room she could rest in while he and Ginny spoke.

It wasn't long before Hermione fell asleep, and Chrome and Ginny were standing alone in the kitchen.

"So, how's old Ronald doing?" Chrome joked with a grin, and Ginny realized how much she missed his rough humor, his corrupt nature. She also realized how quickly her mother would kill her if she knew just where Ginny was at the very moment.

"He's fine" she answered. "You know, he has little to complain about now that you're gone."

He smiled a bit, and then looked serious, catching her eyes with his own. "How are you?"

"Tired" she responded. "I wish this war would just end. I want Harry and Bill to come back, I want Hermione to smile more, I want my parent's hugs to feel warmer. There's no comfort left in this world."

He nodded slightly. "I've missed you" he told her quietly, and she looked up at him with surprise. "You were really the only friendly person to me back at Hogwarts. People don't like making friends with a convicted murderer."

"I've missed you as well" she agreed, glad she could openly confess to this now. "I'm very glad you're coming back Chrome. After all, who will save my life if you aren't around?"

"I'm sure you'll be saving your own life" he laughed. "Wizards who come up against you better be either very powerful or else very crazy. You've got enough fire in you for a whole troop of witches."

"You're really one to talk Granger. From what I gather you've driven even the sanest up a tree."

"I'm still working on getting you there" he said with a fond smile "is it working?"

"Yes" she whispered, and then reached up to kiss him on the mouth.

It was an odd sensation, she felt as though she was growing stronger with every second she remained in his embrace. Kissing him felt both rebellious and comforting at the same time. She had stepped outside the circle of what she was and wasn't supposed to do within that moment, and found a wonderful change from the life she had been leading. She knew she'd never loved Dean, and she began to wonder if she loved Chrome.

For Chrome two emotions were battling out in his head. One was a love for this girl who was incredible on so many levels, and yet could see him for who he was, not just a hard criminal but a man trying to right his past. On the other hand, he felt a deep guilt, as though he was tainting something pure. Ron had told him he couldn't have her, and he may just ruin her life in his selfishness.

He stepped away from her. "We can't do this."

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He opened his eyes to the starry sky. He could feel the sandy shore beneath his back, could hear his shallow, pained breaths. His body was soaked and pained, he could feel every cut and bruise and knew he could hardly move.

The river swept by in front of him, and behind him came a loud rustle of noise. He strained his stiff neck turning to look in that direction. He choked on his own breath as he saw who it was that approached him. Hermione came out from the dark foliage of the ancient trees. She looked dazzling to his tired eyes in the silver lights of the heavens. A light breeze blew her dark hair, and she walked quickly towards him. Soon she was running, and kneeling by his side.

"This is a dream" he muttered to her through pained breaths.

She was kneeling over him, brushing his damp black hair to the side. "Yes, yes, it is a dream. A dream which has brought us together." She smiled sadly at him, taking in his bloodied and bruised features. She wanted so badly for him to be well and with her. It pained her to see the man she so deeply trusted, admired and loved in such a state of pain. "I've missed you love."

"I've missed you too. I fear I may be the only one still alive."

"No, Harry, listen to your heart. The others have survived."

He was silent a moment and then gave her a strained smile that looked more like a grimace of pain. "Yes... Amaury and Maddox have saved us all. Dumbledore was right..."

He trailed off, his breaths growing fainter. "Harry, just hang in there." She beckoned, her voice sounding far away. "Help will be arriving soon. You must endure this. Remember your promise to me."

"I'll never forget" he said stubbornly.

She kissed him on the lips, a light but tender farewell, and then she faded away.

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"Forget about Ron and my parents" she begged, a bright fire in her eyes. "I think I might love you Chrome."

He looked down upon her with a combination of hope and sorrow. "You shouldn't" he insisted.

"I've always been like that" Ginny softly explained. "Wanting or doing things I shouldn't."

"I would never try to hurt you Ginny" he told her, his face emotionless, but his eyes honest.

"That is why I think I might love you."

Suddenly a loud yell came from the upstairs. Both Ginny and Chrome rushed up the stairs towards the shout, Ginny drawing her wand, Chrome reaching for his gun. Chrome nearly busted the door straight off its hinges entering the room where Hermione lay, and Ginny quickly ran to Hermione's side.

"What is it?" Ginny asked, her voice hurried and scared sounding.

"Harry... I just saw Harry. He was injured and alone, and I was so near to him... but it was all a dream." She sobbed at this last part, feeling so shaken by the real feeling of the dream. Who knew where Harry really was, the small comfort she had gathered from seeing him alive dissipated.

Ginny held her confused and frightened friend to her, feeling heartbroken by the sudden frailty of one of the strongest witches alive.

"How concrete was the dream Hermione?" Chrome asked from the doorway, his muscular figure only a silhouette in the hallway light.

"It was so very real. I could feel the dampness of his hair, the sand beneath my knees as I knelt by him..."

"Perhaps you did travel out to one another in your states of unconsciousness" Ginny suddenly offered, wondering if that was where Chrome was going. "It isn't unheard of you know. I mean, even take Harry for example. He saved my dad from dying after seeing his attack in his dreams. Didn't Harry say it was like he was really there?"

Hermione straightened up at this. "You're right, I'll have to research it as soon as I can. Maybe the library will still..."

"Hermione, you need rest!" Ginny interjected with a laugh, though noticing that Hermione still felt shaky and insecure. "I think we all do."

Chrome nodded. "Oh joy, are we going to have a little sleep over then? A slumber party perhaps?"

Both girls chuckled at the idea of Chrome Granger hosting a slumber party, complete with "Truth or Dare" and painting fingernails.

"Listen, why don't you two sleep up here, and I'll take the couch for the night? God knows I'm used to sleeping on a lumpy sofa, after Hermione made me sleep there for an age when I was living with them in Hogsmede."

He winked and swing out of the room, just as Ginny abruptly remembered where they'd left off.

"What's going on with you and my brother?" Hermione asked with teasing suspicion.

"I really don't know" Ginny sighed.

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"I'll never forget, never, never, never" Harry kept repeating, tossing slightly from side to side in his state of unconsciousness. Bill pushed the others away from the prone form of The Boy Who Lived, slipping some cushioning under his wet and damaged skull.

"Wake up Potter" he commanded, and Harry replied with the gradual flutter of his reopening eyes. He looked rather dazed and confused, his eyes darkened in his state of pain and bemusement. Bill tilted Harry's neck back and uncorked a small glass vial.

"Here comes a dose of Heal All mate" Bill warned. "Make sure you get it down, we only have a few of these, but it'll fix you right up as soon is it hits your belly."

Harry felt the sickening substance slither down his throat, and he fought against gagging it up. Soon he felt a series of sharp cracks reverberate throughout his body as his bones and muscles healed, and his skin seemed to tighten for a moment as his cuts and bruises mostly closed up, only leaving shadows of their former selves.

Harry breathed a full gasp of air for the first time since tumbling down the banking. He went to sit up but Bill urged him back down. "You're still weak Harry. We'll camp here for the night."

"But the werewolves..." Harry interjected, laying back down from exhaustion despite his protests.

"All dead" Maddox loudly stated. "Amaury and myself came up with a nifty little plan."

" 'E really isn't as stupid as 'e looks" Amaury added with a slight tone of contempt still present in his voice.

"Alright then" Harry murmured, falling back to sleep.

"Damn, he's worn out" came the worried voice of one of the three females, the British Dylan. She slowly approached him with a bit of apprehension. She had grown up hearing tales of this heroic boy, and his usual appearance always seemed to confirm that title of savoir; tall, handsome, dark and mysterious. At this point she had seen him at his best, and now at his worst. He suddenly looked like nothing more than a young man to her, and she knew they needed to take care of him until he was back to full strength.

"Start a fire to keep him warm" she commanded. "We could all use to get some sleep, so let's get to it. I'll stay on watch with Amandine for the next couple hours." Nobody protested as they quickly set to building camp. Once everyone had drifted off into their nightmarish slumbers, Dylan knelt beside Harry, studying his tired, bloodied and bruised features. She went to pull a blanket over him and felt how damp his shirt was.

"We need to get this off him" she told her watch buddy rather nervously.

"Ooo, I volunteer" Amandine happily whispered, and they both laughed a little.

As they unbuttoned the shirt, a piece of gold jewelry spilled out and glistened in the fire. It was a lion pendant, and its eyes were glowing red, but only just. Little did they know what a blessing that truly was.

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Chrome had his usual bought of insomnia, but he didn't really mind, after all, he had come to think of himself as nocturnal. He was absently flipping through the lousy late night TV channels provided by satellite when a little flicker went across the screen. He narrowed his eyes and flipped the TV off, focusing his hearing.

A quite bump sounded off in the distance, but seemed to echo in his warrior ears. He quickly stood up, well knowing it could just be the neighbors in another flat moving about. Yet something told him it wasn't.

He calmly headed up the stairs for his bedroom where Hermione and Ginny were situated. He listened in, hearing the smooth regularity of their breaths he knew they were sleeping. He crept over to the bed and knelt beside it. Carefully putting one hand over Ginny's mouth to stop any screams, he shook her awake. She woke with a start, but his calming whispers in her ear let her know it was him.

"Ginny, I think we have company. Wake Hermione, be sure she doesn't make a noise."

Ginny could feel his warm breath against her skin, and had the situation been different, she would have been very affected by these states of affairs. She woke Hermione and whispered what Chrome had just told her. Both girls sat up quickly but calmly, and Chrome gave them a knowing smile as he realized how accustomed they'd become to waking for battle.

He pulled the gun in his belt free and gripped it in one hand. "Hermione and Ginny, use magic to apparate Malfoy to Hogsmede and keep control over him all the way up to the castle."

"If they have an apparition tracer they'll just follow us. We can't lead enemies across the shields we have around the castle. It'll set off a panic, besides whatever other damage may ensue" Hermione argued, getting up from the bed and putting her shoes on.

"They won't follow you, I'll distract them" Chrome promised with a slightly excited look on his face. It had been a while since he'd gotten to kill somebody.

"I'll go with Chrome" Ginny quickly offered. "I know Hermione can manage ferret boy on her own, but you'll probably be against a whole ton of witches or wizards Chrome. You can't hold them off without magic."

"Your mother would kill me Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed, but she was already going along with the plan. A moment later she was unlocking the door to Malfoy's room and apparating him away in nothing more than a pair of black boxers with golden snitches flying all over them.

Meanwhile Chrome grabbed Ginny's hand and led her down the stairs. He gestured to the lights and Ginny put them out with a swish of her wand. Pressing his ear against the door he listened to the sound of about a dozen feet running up the steps. One of the people was moving much more slowly, sliding along with a cruel seeming leisure, her high heel shoes tapping along the tiled floor. He knew it was his bounty hunter.

Leveling his weapon he waited until the footsteps ended before his door. Then he pulled the trigger and heard one of his attackers fall. He re aimed and made another large blast hole through the thin wooden door that separated them. He felt Ginny tap him on the shoulder and he moved aside. She blew the door wide open with a destructive spell, and Chrome watched as two of those left standing went flying off their feet. He swung clear of the door frame and shot the fifth one in the face. That just left his bounty hunter. Ginny went to say something, but he quickly held a finger up to his lips for her to stay quiet. He closed his eyes, straining his hearing to realize she was headed back away, much quicker this time. "She's going for help" he announced, and grabbed her hand once more, running for the staircase at the other end of the building. Naturally, the elevator hadn't worked in over ten years.

They ran quickly, and behind him he could hear reinforcements approaching. He threw the door to the stairway open, and Ginny ran through. She looked down towards the bottom and then ran back into the hallway. "Uh... not that way..." was all she said slamming the door shut. "Now what do we do?"

He looked wildly around. They were at the end of the hallway with the enemy closing in on them in either direction. "There is always the window" he suggested. He ran over to the dusty glass window at the end of the hall and shattered it with an open fisted blow.

Ginny ran over and looked down at the alley below. It was so dark and far down she couldn't even make out what was down there. "That's one bloody hell of a fall!" She swore.

"Are you chicken?" He asked with a cruel smirk. She retaliated with a nasty glare and took two steps back. Then she ran and leapt through the shattered opening.

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Hermione walked briskly across Hogsmede with her wand pointed at Malfoy's head.

"I bet you've always wanted to see me like this eh Granger?" He smirked, referring to his scant attire of a single pair of boxers.

"Dream on Malfoy. Gods you're pale."

"A pale god you mean. Most women prefer to refer to me as 'silver' actually. The perfect silver hair, silver eyes, light silver skin."

She rolled her eyes and they continued on, his walking tenderly over the rocks barefooted.

"Who goes there?" yelled out a drunken voice, taking them both by surprise, though Draco managed not to show it. Neither answered and the slurred question came once more. "Who do you plea your allegiance to?"

"Damn it, he's a Death Eater!" Hermione exclaimed, not sure what to do next.

"Clever work Granger. Now I can finally see why a Mud blood like yourself was top of the class. You're a regular genius."

She ignored the overwhelming urge to choke him as the cloaked figure began to step out of a deserted alleyway in the distance and walk towards them with an illuminated wand.

"Give the proper response Draco" she urged him, muttering under her breath.

"Why should I Granger?" He defiantly responded, standing still as a statue.

She growled at him under her breath and cast a hex on him that soon had him hopping about from being pinched by what felt like 1,000 little crabs.

"AHHH... we pledge our allegiance to Dark Lord, may he live forever!" Draco barked out, and Hermione ended the hex in return.

"Ay, may he..." responded the voice, but it was growing increasingly closer. "Who are ye?"

Hermione's mind quickly tired to come up with a plan when she realized how stupid she was being. After all, she was with Draco Malfoy, and most of the Death Eaters still thought him loyal to Voldemort, they had not yet heard of his betrayal towards the Dark Lord. He would probably let them by.

She held her breath as he shined his wand in their faces.

"Put that bloody wand down you Muggle loving fool" Draco cursed with a strong hint of indignation in his haughty voice.

"Oh, yer Draco Malfoy ain't ya? Sorry 'bout that.... say, what're you doing in only a pair of boxers?"

Draco gave him a scathing look. "Do you mind? We have places to go, things to do."

"Yar, sure sure. But who's this girly here with ya? I don't recognize her as Death Eater. I'm supposed to take all of those unloyal off to trial." He said 'trial' with an evil grin that clearly indicated it was no court of justice he would bring his prisoners before.

Hermione and Draco responded at the same time, and as chance would have it they gave two very different answers. While Hermione opted for "cousin", Draco went ahead and declared her his whore.

"Yer cousin is yer whore?" The drunk asked with a fair amount of confusion. "Well that's a bit twisted... arg, just git along already."

They didn't have to be told twice, and they disappeared off into the darkness of night, Draco limping over the sharp stones and Hermione cursing him for calling her a whore.

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Ginny felt herself spiraling through the air for one wild moment, and then she crashed onto the next roof top, scuffing her knees in the process. A moment later Chrome leapt over her and landed soundlessly on his feet.

"Show off" she spat, and he said nothing, merely running in the expectation that she would follow. They crossed the roof top in an all out sprint, and when they came to the end, Chrome quickly went over the side and began to descend a rusted ladder, and Ginny was right behind him.

Hand over hand they made their way to the bottom, hearing the sounds of approaching enemies. Ginny could feel her blood pulsing through her body, her nervous breaths wracking every muscle of her. Suddenly she felt her hand slip and her chin hit a bar as she proceeded to fall.

Chrome watched her teeter off the ladder, and he grabbed the ladder tight with one hand, swinging out to catch the falling girl with the other. He wrapped his arm around her waist, snatching her from mid air and pulling her to him.

"Damn you're heavy" he teased, watching her pale face regain color from the near fall. A few moments later they were on the ground, running out of the alleyway with curses galore at their heels.

The both skidded out into the road only to hear a loud engine start revving up from down the street. "This is not my day" Chrome groaned, and he looked wildly about for an empty car on the dead street that was worth riding in. He spotted something that looked new and fast to his obscured nighttime vision. It wasn't before long before he'd busted the door open, disabled the security alarm and had it hot wired.

Ginny looked at him with disbelief as he gestured for her to buckle in and floored it down the road, just missing an enemy vehicle coming after them.

"I never knew Death Eaters used cars" he breathed as he turned on the stereo system.

"Me neither... I guess You- Know- Who is finally using Muggle inventions to further his cause." Ginny started pressing buttons on the door panel until she found one that would put the window down. She leaned out and sent a spell at the vehicle behind them, her words lost in the wind. A loud pop signified a popped tire and a screech of breaks was only background noise to the victory whoop Chrome let out.

"Keep it up Gin, I'll try to lose them."

"We need to lose them completely so I can apparate us both the hell out of here without them following" Ginny urged, leaning out the window with another spell. Chrome just grinned and watched her work from the corner of his eye, feeling absolutely giddy over this girl, whose fiery red hair was blowing in the wind as she let off a lethal attack on the enemy. Feeling giddy was a very new emotion for him, but at the moment he was enjoying it and had the overwhelming urge to kiss her again.

"Hey Ginny, sit back a moment, I'm about to lose these geeks." Chrome drove out into the middle of an intersection, causing breaks to slam and cars to crash into one another. Then he stopped dead in the middle, as though waiting for something. All four enemy vehicles were almost instantly upon them, and Chrom was merely sitting there, revving the engine. He pushed the gas peddle to the floor and started driving straight at them, rapidly gaining speed. He laughed like a mad man, and Ginny dug her nails into the leather seat she was in, wondering more than a little if she was wise to trust him.

It looked like they were going to crash head on, but at the last moment the enemy vehicle swerved to the side. They all made sharp turns to follow, and just as they were almost 180 degrees around, Chrome slammed the breaks, causing the whole car to skid around, and then he zoomed by them the other way.

"That should buy us some time" he laughed, looking ecstatic about the whole thing. "They shouldn't have tried to come after us by car, I'm a top notch car thief. Best you don't tell Hermione."

Ginny was still a bit shaken by the whole experience to say the least, and could only manage a little laugh.

Chrome was frowning then, looking back in the rearview mirror. "Hmph, they're a ways back, but not far enough... say Ginny, how long does it take to diapparate?"

"Only a second really" she mumbled, finding her voice. "Of course, we need to be touching, and my mind and wand both most be set for the procedure."

"Okay, good, get ready because I'm going to drive us off the bridge, and we can disapparate mid air. No way in hell will they be able to trace that."

"ARE YOU MAD?!" Ginny roared, half wanting to roll out of the car and away from his insanity, and at the same time, enjoying the thrill of it all.

"Yes mam" he smiled. "Okay then, here we go!"

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Hermione and Draco were almost to the apparition barrier when a loud "POP" resounded through the night air. Before them were Ginny and Chrome, both laughing hysterically.

Hermione froze in mid step, shifting her eyes back and forth between the two of them, not sure how to react to the oddness of the current predicament.

"What is wrong with you two?" She asked as their fit eventually subsided into silence.

"I thought we were dead for sure!" Ginny chuckled, and Hermione was straining her brain very hard to understand what exactly was funny about that. "We drove a car off a bridge!"

"Okay... this makes no sense..." Hermione muttered, feeling as though the both of them were under some weird spell.

"We disapparated just before we hit the water" Chrome explained. "There's no way they'll be able to trace where we went... or find the car for that matter."

"What car?" Hermione asked, but the both of them just went suspiciously silent at the same time.

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((Yep, a lot of strange things happened in this chapter. More strange things promised for next chapter. As always, feedback is both appreciated and beloved.))

Mrs-osbourne's-class: It's great to hear the my writing style has kept you interested enough in this story to continue to not only read but respond, especially if you typically stick to canon fics. Obviously this had a lot of...eh... unusual things which take place, but I suppose that's just because it's a massive collaboration of whatever is influencing me at the time. Thank you for your constant support.

Mabelmione: Well, now you can see how they were able to defeat the werewolves... I'm not sure if you remember a couple chapters back when they discussed the silver on the Thestal's harnesses, but most things in the fic happen for a reason (unlike the first installment "The Darkest Hours"). Hehe, hopefully the use of reoccurring coincidence or "fate" if you prefer makes the plot line more solid. Thanks for reviewing!

Merlana: I hope this chapter was interest keeping. As for the dividers between sections, as I said earlier, the lines disappeared when I put on , but I think I've remedied that. It was great to get another review from you.

Cyress: Thanks for reviewing, any review is a good review.

Sweetfiregirl: I'm glad you think it's getting good, I think the action picked up a bit in this chapter. Thank you for taking the time to review.

Gryffindor620: Hermione didn't quite stun Draco... at least he had to walk through Hogsmede in his boxers though. Maybe I should start making my characters more violently impulsive for you ;).


	15. Waging War

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

((Sorry it's been so long, but I've been working on a very long, involved chapter, and the product is bringing us to the end of this long two part series I've been writing. This is a fairly long chapter))

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"Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation... – born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace."  
-John Fitzgerald Kennedy

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Harry awoke as the sun was already in the sky, illuminating the perfect blue of an approaching day. He wondered why they'd let him sleep so late and then remembered his condition. He could hear low voices and a crackling campfire, and he stirred from his resting place, feeling much better.

He walked shirtless over to the circle gathered around the fire still eating breakfast. He swaggered with morning aches and pains, but his broken bones no longer ailed him. His black hair stuck out messily and he flopped down upon the ground with a heavy sigh, all eyes upon him.

"Someone give me some food" he grumbled, and one of his comrades tentatively handed him a tin bowl of "trail slop" as he had mentally come to deem in. Magic food that made for a tasty, full meal when mixed with water, but looked like the nastiest thing possible.

Bill broke the ice as he came out of the woods with an armload of fire wood, a big grin on his face. Unlike the others, he had known Harry for a long time, thought of him as a brother since he had been so close with Ron. He'd always admired Harry even though the boy was quite a bit younger than himself. "How're you feeling mate?"

"Pretty good considering my little swim last night" Harry laughed, and they all joined him. "Listen, I want to say that I'm sorry last night went down the way it did. I did expect werewolves, just not such an immortal brand as we encountered. You have all shown your worth in surviving and fighting them off. After breakfast we're going to hit the trails again, and all I have to say to you is this: it can only get more perilous from here."

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By afternoon rumor had spread across the castle that Chrome Granger was back and Draco Malfoy was there as well, under strict surveillance of course. Naturally, some refused to a believe a speck of the gossip while other enjoyed exaggerating it until the tale had bloomed into Chrome having swept into the castle during the middle of night armed with some sort of Muggle weapon there after threatening Dumbledore into giving him and his lover Draco refuge from the evil Dark Lord they had betrayed.

The truth of the matter was that Chrome was just awakening by afternoon after his wild night, and in the meanwhile, Draco had been imprisoned in a regular sort of Hogwarts room where he could live more comfortably than Azkaban, but could not escape. Hermione rather thought it was being soft on him, but she didn't say so.

When Chrome was awake, he spent the week encouraging ridiculous lies about his time away, and from what Hermione could gather, Ginny was doing the same. She could never understand that sort of mentality, but she did know that in the aspect of loving to danger and notoriety, Chrome and Ginny ranked supreme.

Ever since Hermione had seen Harry in her dreams, more than seen him, truly been with him, she had trouble sleeping. Just as she would begin to drift off into her nightly slumber his bruised and bleeding face would flash before her eyes, his tired husky voice filling her mind with the words, "I'll never forget." She missed him with a bleeding pain, and scorned the title of martyr which had been etched onto his face and into his being as an infant.

It had been nearly a month since he'd left, and she found herself looking through his old scrap book/ photo album nightly, gazing fondly at the happier times bound within its pages. The twins had given her a picture of him from the last big party they had thrown, the night they had danced and she silently let him go in her mind. The picture was rather funny in a way, in that it he was entering through the door into the Room of Requirement, his long black cloak draped about his broad shoulders. It being a magic picture, he kept taking the cloak off and hanging it up, only to put it back on again, as if he didn't know if was coming or going. His eyes seemed to reflect a similar indecisiveness, tied between the joy of the party and that deep soul destroying sorrow that had been present ever since the end of forth year.

Turning to the cover of the album, Hermione removed the cold, metal skeleton key and studied it in the fire light, thinking about how it could transport her immediately to Gryffindor Manor. She wondered what she could possibly find there that would at all comfort her in such treacherous times. She gave one last look at the gleaming piece of metal, and then she looked up at the fire, its red glow dancing in her dark brown eyes.

She grabbed a hand of floo powder, stepped into the flames and was instantly gone.

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A week had passed since Harry's plummet into the rapid waters of that dreaded river. The group was growing disheartened as they marched on through the heat, mud and rain, clothes ripped and wounds bleeding. They ached from nights spent on the ground and days spent walking in a miserable silence. The air was gaining a putrid scent that turned their stomachs; every stream they encountered was filled with lethal toxins. The trees no longer had full green leaves to whisper in the wind, but rather bare, thin, crooked black braches which tore at the sky and moaned in the night.

Harry led his troops forward with stoic fortitude and courage. He never faltered, not complaining nor yelling at anyone all the while, maintaining a sharp discipline merely with his presence. His heroic nature caught on to every one of his comrades, and they set themselves by his model, admiring his way. What they were unaware of was the pain their "savior" was suffering more and more every day. The act of leading and controlling was wearing on the young Harry, but it was the burden he had to carry, and he would do so.

One afternoon they sat around the fire eating in an eerie silent as the trees cried out overhead and the gut wrenching scent of death filled the stagnant summer air.

"Harry" Maddox whispered, as if scared "how close are we now to the center of the Dark Forest?" Everyone looked expectantly at their captain, who in turn did not look up and kept his eyes focused on the burning embers of the fire, his black bangs casting sharp eerie shadows down his serious face. Maddox slightly shuddered at the exact same moment as Amaury with whom he was seated besides. The two had sat together to play cards while the fire was being built, but it merely angered the feisty little Frenchman and he ended up trying to throw the deck in the fire.

"I believe we will be upon the Dark Lord's lair very soon" Harry answered in such a monotone voice that it carried no real sense of confidence nor any hint of certainty.

"How do you know that?" Asked the middle aged man who had been injured badly by the werewolves, but saved by Amaury and Maddox.

Bill looked up from the food he was eating with concern in her eyes. His long red locks fell across his troubled brown eyes, and his mind cried out that he knew exactly how Harry could tell, yet even as he thought such things with great conviction, his still young heart broke to know it was true. He did not want to be near the Death Eater's lair. He did not want to face that battlefield of death. He suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to cry for himself. Still so young, and about to face what may be his end. He'd never found true love. He wanted to marry, to have kids and watch them grow. He wanted to someday sit at The Burrow as an old man, and watch as his grand children played with Charlie's grandchildren. They would discuss Quidditch scores, and babble on about how nobody could play seeker the way Viktor Krum had once played. In his imaginary future he saw Christmas parties with Ron, Charlie, Ginny, the twins, and even pompous Percy. He buried his face in his hands, and knew that if he lost courage now, none of them could have that cherished future. He did not listen to Harry's lies as he said he "just had a feeling about it." Bill was quite aware that Harry KNEW they were close, and it all had to do with the lion pendant around the young Gryffindor's neck. As Bill looked up through the cracks of his fingers, he saw the lion's eyes glowing red.

It was like looking at the glaring eyes of his own fate, and as he sat up straight, he realized he was okay with that. Someday, somewhere, his contributions, whether that be life or death, would benefit some young innocent child. He wondered if that was what kept Harry going.

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The rush of flame died down to a dull roar and then silence. Hermione opened her eyes and stepped out of the magnificent fireplace in the dinning hall of Gryffindor Manor. She looked about at the dark, candlelit area. On the walls slivers of afternoon sunlight peered out through the little gaps between the long, thick red curtains hanging from the high ceiling room. As the green flames resumed their normal hue, they danced in reflection along the long, glossy dinning table. A picture of Godric Gryffindor gazed down upon her with his stern green eyes. It was as though Harry stared down upon her, and it scared her a little.

"Ms. Granger! We be seeing so glad to see you again!" exclaimed the shrill voice of a well dressed female house elf. Hermione jumped at the noise, and then clapped her hands over her racing heart as she smiled to see the merry creature greeting her. "Should I tell Ms. Figgs you've arrived?"

"Who?" Hermione asked, her head still a bit groggy from the floo network, not to mention her exhaustion from sleepless nights. "Oh, Arabella Figgs, I'm sorry I'd forgotten. She's watching over the kids right?"

"Yes mam. They'll be glad to know you're hear, so many questions they'll have for you!" The ecstatic house elf chirped, and it ran off down the hall at such a speed that Hermione nearly had to jog to keep up. It lead her into the main foyer with its splendid staircase, and Hermione was once again wowed by the fact that Harry had lived in this immense manor all by himself for so long.

"You wait here!" The Elven host commanded, and then proceeded to dash up the stairs. A few minutes later, the ancient Ms. Figgs appeared, hobbling along with a cane but looking sharp as ever. Arabella Figgs had been to her share of Order meetings, and Hermione was thereby well acquainted.

"Ah Hermione! How's Hogwarts these days?"

"A bit tense" Hermione answered honestly. "War is a horrible thing, but waiting for it can be even worse at times."

Ms. Figgs, who had seen the world during Voldemort's last attempt to reign, nodded in a knowing fashion. "This time is much worse than the last" the old lady continued. "Attacking Muggles... not to mention the battles against the EMA! You- Know- Who wipes the ministries armies out every time. I hope Dumbledore and Harry can pull off something miraculous."

Hermione's stomach clenched at the mention of Harry, and in her mind she saw him lying wounded there on the sand once more. In an even more gruesome image she saw his head stone. Harry would have to pull off something miraculous indeed, and she had to keep the confidence that he could. He had trusted so much to her in his leaving; he had believed she could help keep Hogwarts from falling. She too would need some miracles.

Ms. Figgs interrupted her thoughts with some mention of the kids, and how they had been training each other, preparing for someday entering battle.

"Let us hope that day never comes" Hermione added, and once more Ms. Figgs nodded her head, this time in agreement. Neither wanted to subject anymore people to the dangers and horrors of what they were living.

"So, what can I do for you?" Ms. Figgs asked in her quick almost crabby manner.

"Oh, I just came to get away from the castle I suppose" Hermione answered, not actually sure what she was even doing there. "I'll just take a quick walk around and head back to the castle if you don't mind."

"Of course not" was the abrupt response.

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Night fell on the travelers, and then came rain. Where at first it was welcome on their dried, scorched and bleeding skin, it soon became so hard and heavy every drop seemed to hurt as it fell on the huddled masses. The wretched grounds of the Dark Forest sucked the water up in an eager manner and before long the soil had turned into an impassible mush. Harry was reminded of nightmares he often had of being sucked into the ground, the dead demanding he die as he should have. This was a terrifying copy of the dream, his boots sinking straight down with each step, sometimes to his knee. Even with their capes on, the team of ten found themselves growing deathly cold, a dreadful sensation against the heat they had just experienced that very afternoon.

"We need to stop!" Someone cried out over the intense patter of rainfall.

"Harry!" Bill shouted at their very determined leader. "Oy there! It's late and this weather is ridiculous! Please, we need to set down for the night."

Everyone stopped walking except Harry, who acted as though he hadn't heard them. Bill looked at the fatigued faces of his comrades. All good men and women, people who never complained, the best soldiers in all the Wizarding World. They would follow the cause until they could follow no longer, but now they needed a well earned rest. Bill broke the chain of command and gestured for all of them to go find somewhere to rest. They needn't be told twice.

Bill sloshed through the mud and puddles, his clothing sticking to his goose bumped flesh, his long red hair losing its vibrancy due to the moisture clinging to it. Stay pieces flew into his pale face, sticking there like thin bloody gashes across his handsome features. He continued after Harry until he caught up with the stubborn fellow.

Grabbing him by the arm he forced the incredibly young commander to look at him. "Harry, what're you doing mate?! They're tired, they can't go on!" Bill's face was etched with concern, his voice raspy as he spoke.

Harry looked at him neutrally through his famous green eyes. There was something so blank and strong about them, something no man of his age should have. "Gods" Bill thought to himself, "those are the eyes of a killer."

A silent tear slipped down Bill's cheek, lost in the incredible rain descending around the two heroes. "Harry, we need rest. Even you, you need rest."

"There's no time Bill" Harry calmly replied. "I've given you all the time I can."

Bill grabbed Harry roughly by the shoulders, his breaths growing ragged in despair. Why couldn't Harry just understand how much they needed rest? What was the great hurry so suddenly?

"Why Harry?!" He growled, "Just give me a bloody REASON!" Bill fell to his knees in the mud, furious at Harry's iron will.

Slowly Harry kneeled down beside the man in despair, laying a hand on Bill's shoulder.

"Your allegiance has been incredible Bill. Your loyalty, passion and soul. This is just something I have to do on my own, I can't wait for the rest of you. I feel it so deep within me. Haven't you just ever known to do something, but you aren't sure why?" Harry closed his eyes, rivulets of water crossing his dark eyebrows and pooling in the wrinkles of his eyelids. "Before I left, I gave Hermione a key the Gryffindor Manor. I don't know why I did it, but I think someday I will know. Do you understand?"

Bill looked up at him with his tried brown eyes. "You're wrong, because every single one of the men and women who have thus far followed you have a strong feeling too. A feeling that we must follow you to the end. We would not have come all this way if we did not believe that as deeply as you believe this. You can't always be the martyr Harry. You've already died for this cause. Maybe it's someone else's turn."

"And you would seal yourself to that fate?" Harry asked his voice suddenly young and confused.

In the distance, beneath the enormous roots of a tilted old tree, the wet and shivering comrades sat shivering, out of the way of the cruel rain. They saw these two men, people with a history of danger and war, veterans of past battles, men who were younger than half those present, but had seen more than all combined. Bill Weasley and Harry Potter, members of the very core of the resistance, people who knew such powers as Albus Dumbledore. To see them on their knees in such a manner, though no words could be heard was a sight they would all carry to the grave.

"Yes" Bill replied to Harry's question. "I would seal myself to that fate, as would everyone here. So would Ron and Hermione and Ginny. We are all here to fight. This is not only your war Harry."

Harry looked up at Bill with an expression of amazement. For years he had been told it was not his war, but he had been so determined to make it his war. An ice seemed to melt away from Harry's face. He could not make it his war no matter how hard he tried, and that was not his fault.

Together the two very tired fellows stumbled to where everyone else was gathered. Harry slept soundly as soon as he laid down.

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Hermione stayed at Gryffindor Manor through dinner and met the students who were living there. It was an odd experience since they all seemed to look up at her with a sort of reverence, yet the oldest of them was only two years younger than herself. They all piled around the dinner table looking a bit sweaty and winded. Despite their rather disorganized appearances, they all looked so content and happy, they had a hearty glow that she had not seen in the face of youth in the past year. Everyone she knew looked so drained, even when they found the rare occasion to celebrate. For now she tried to shove the forlorn images of the dark circles under Ron's eyes, the strained smile Ginny often wore and the lost look in Harry's eyes to the back of her mind.

The hustle and bustle of everyone loading up their plates gave Hermione a distinct memory of eating over the Weasley's in times long passed (or only a few years ago truth be told). Once the commotion had settled, Ms. Figgs arose and caught the jittery children's attention with a few sharp words.

"As most of you know, this is Hermione Granger. She was Head Girl last year at Hogwarts, and now she's a leading member of the Order of the Phoenix. Don't all bombard her with questions at once as I know you're dying to do. Hermione dear, don't mind the fact that they all look like they were running a marathon. They were just training as I told you earlier."

"I've created a sort of training program" interjected a sixth year boy who almost instantly reminded her of Harry. He had a lost look in his eyes, as did many of the children since most had suffered a family loss at one time or another. Still, it wasn't anything about his looks that reminded her of Harry. This boy was undoubtedly a Gryffindor, the way he sat and spoke, the look in his eye. He was certainly seemed more confident than Harry, and much more forthcoming, but he also had a determined air about him. It made her long for the days when Harry had been the messy haired boy who would break every bone in his body just to prove he could catch the snitch.

"My name is Bryce by the way" he hastily added with a little nod. "See, Harry told me that I wasn't ready to be in the war, but that I should prepare in case the day ever came that I was needed. I think he was right. If I ever face any Death Eaters now, I think I'll have a hell of a chance against them."

"Don't swear Bryce!" Ms. Figgs scolded, and a brown haired third year from Slytherin smirked behind his plate.

"He trains all of us!" commented a girl whom Hermione recognized as a fifth year Gryffindor. The previous year Hermione had tutored her in Transfiguration a couple of times. "Bryce showed us all the training equipment Harry Potter said he could use. It's kinda like the DA!"

Hermione smiled at the memory of the old "Dumbledore's Army". After Harry left Hermione would not just let it end like Ron insisted. She pursued it with a renewed vigor, and while the club remained a secret, they soon had Dumbledore's aid as well.

"So... what's up with the war?" Bryce asked a bit tentatively, looking as though he may be treading on thin ice bringing up such a terrible topic. His eyes grew a bit darker.

"Not much right now. We have some great new allies though. Rest assured, when Voldemort comes to Hogwarts he can expect great trouble from the Order of the Phoenix." Hermione gave them a pleasant smile, and the tension seemed to leave the room quite a bit. She was not so sure about her statement, but these kids did not need to share her doubt. Here they were safe, and they even had the peace of mind that they were "training".

During dinner the conversation topics ranged from Butterbeer to the EMA. Before long the house elves were clearing the table and cleaning up the table. Gradually the kids dispersed, and around 10:00 at night Ms. Figgs gave the last three left a sharp warning that if they weren't in bed within a half hour she'd feed them to the Lions that prowled the grounds. With that the nutty old lady swaggered off to bed, leaving Hermione with Bryce, Adam and the Gryffindor girl, Sarah.

"Wow, we've been sitting at the dinner table for over two hours!" Sarah exclaimed with a small yawn.

"There's just so much to talk about" Adam, the Slytherin boy commented in a very relaxed manner. Despite his Slytherin qualities Hermione had found that the third year boy was well mannered and rather intelligent for his age. There seemed to be no animosity between him and the two Gryffindors. It wasn't long before Sarah suggested they head to bed, and Adam was with her. Only Bryce did not move, he seemed to have something in mind. He shifted in his seat and Hermione often caught him looking at her in an unreadable manner. It was making her a bit nervous to say the least, and when he didn't leave with Adam and Sarah she felt that she ought to announce her departure.

Standing up he jumped to his feet as well, suddenly looking at odds. "Wait, I had to ask you a question!"

She looked over at him desperately hoping he didn't have some sort of crush on her. Stan Shunpike's advances had been more than enough to last her quite a while. She waited for him to speak however, not wanting to be rude.

"I didn't want to ask you this in front of all the other kids, because... I don't know. I just have a bad feeling..."

"What?" She asked, caught between annoyance and curiosity.

"How's Harry? I mean, Harry Potter? It's just that when I spoke with him... he seemed to have this vision of something disturbing. It's just been worrying me."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, thoroughly perplexed but also feeling her stomach knotting.

"He gave my this description of the battlefield, of what it would be like to face the enemy. He said... 'When black robes swarm on the horizon and all you see is green, when everyone is falling beside you, dragons pour flames from the sky and Dementors feast on the souls of men what makes you so sure you will still be standing?'. I remember it exactly." He blushed a little, and Hermione wondered if he hadn't suffered "smart kid syndrome" as she had growing up, where everyone made fun of her intelligence.

Bryce's retelling of Harry's very disturbing scene clouded over in her mind. Harry always had some overwhelming feeling about the future or another, but she had never heard him lay it out in such a picturesque manner. It was like a visual version of his pains and burdens and it saddened her greatly. It seemed that the world could never be depressing enough.

"So how is Harry?" Bryce questioned, wringing his hands. Hermione could tell that the great, noble, heroic Boy- Who- Lived had left a deep impression on this Gryffindor boy, and she could see how much Harry's well being meant to him. Everyone needed a hero, and inspiration. It was Harry's burden that he was that for so many people. Nevertheless, Hermione did not want to lie to the boy. He was old enough to know the truth. At least to some degree.

"I don't know" she told him, and a solitary tear slipped down her cheek. She explained what he'd been doing in a brief form, but she did not tell him about her very confusing "dream" in which she swore she had seen him.

Bryce nodded softly and then headed to him room. In passing her he reached out and gently pat her on the shoulder. Something about it reminded her infinitely of a younger Harry.

She did not leave right away. She walked outdoors, taking in the warm summer air and watching the beautiful grounds in a somewhat detached manner. The silver light of the night sky poured silver slits of light along the grassy lawns, the beautiful old trees scattered here and there made long slanted shadows in which the lions that guarded the manor slipped in and out of. Hermione smiled with sad nostalgia at the memory of her and Harry having a snow ball fight there just the past winter. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

Eventually Hermione stumbled upon a very bizarre sight. Jutting straight out of the ground was an incredibly tall cage with wide, solid bars. In the night there was something very surreal about it. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a loud cry emanated from inside and an abrupt ruffling noise caught her attention. She approached the cage cautiously and was rendered breathless by the surprise before her.

A full grown Hippogriff, magnificent in its wingspan, beautiful in its own majestic way reared up in the cage before her. Hermione looked around to see if it had been being feed, and found evidence in some rather fresh looking bones. She wondered why a beloved creature like a Hippogriff, the very animal that had saved Sirius and had given her and Harry that very frightening third year ride, was caged up. It seemed that he had been being fed (most likely by House Elves) through the bars of the cage, and its fierce restlessness was now apparent.

She looked for a way to let it out, and found the culprit keeping it from going free. A tree had blown over at some point, apparently rotted at the base just enough to jerk free in a violent wind. The large, heavy thing had seemingly pinned the cage door shut, and it appeared to Hermione as though the house elves were incapable of moving it, despite their interesting set of powers.

With a motion of her wand and a proper incantation, she dislodged the barrier, and it was almost as though the Hippogriff was releasing a huge sigh of relief as it rushed forward and swung open the cage door which groaned on its creaky hinges as it went.

Hermione watched in awe as the Hippogriff gave her a brief bow, and then with a spread of its wings, it descended into the night sky, growing smaller and smaller as it faded into the darkness. Hermione stood still long after it had disappeared, gazing off into nothing, filled with an inexplicable feeling of hope.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Harry awoke with a deeply rooted certainty. A certainty that said today was the day. Today they would reach Voldemort's base, and today he would face Voldemort himself. It was an odd sensation to be aware of this to such a degree that it was calming.

He was last watch that night, and he let everyone sleep a little later. He wanted them well rested for what was ahead of them, and he also felt they deserved whatever slight compensation he could offer for all they had been through so far. Heat and rain, dragons and werewolves; they had persevered through it all. Now that about a month had gone in the wretched Dark Forest it was absolutely incredible that they were all still living, and furthermore, nobody had needed to use their emergency port key back to Hogwarts. They were in full numbers, full strength, and when they accomplished their mission of getting to Voldemort they could all get instant transportation back to Hogwarts again. Harry thanked whatever greater power there was for the so called luck that had thus far endured.

As he awoke his comrades he noticed a certain glint in each of their eyes. It was as though they subconsciously knew what was coming. They silently got ready, packing their things more carefully, eating more food than usual. There was no teasing between Maddox and Amaury, no flirting between Bill and Dylan... it was deathly serious and hushed.

They headed out onto the makeshift path, avoiding Snapspike bushes, jumping over the random sinkholes, scaling the rocky cliffs they encountered.

As Harry walked he tried to appreciate that this may be his last day on Earth. He didn't want to think something so cynical, especially since he had promised Hermione he would be coming back. Nevertheless, he had to also keep the very real thought in mind that even if he did succeed he would somehow be changed by the experience, and probably for the worse. He wanted to take in the color, taste and feel of life now while he still could.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Hermione awoke to a massive shudder. At first she thought she was half between sleep and wake still, but another violent, earthquake like shake made her sit up in a flash.

"Are we under attack?" She quickly wondered, sitting up straight in bed. "Why wasn't the horn sounded? Why haven't I been notified? How they have missed the enemy coming?"

She rushed about the room; quickly dressing as such thoughts overflowed her busy mind. Everything was mechanical and intentional in her actions, her mind was set and calm despite the questions plaguing her every moment. She realized with bitter humor that she had adapted some of Harry's more zombie like characteristics. "This war has changed us all so much" she thought for what must have been the thousandth time.

She ran down the hallway, wand in hand, robes billowing out behind her. She ran smack into Ron, who quickly caught her from falling with his keeper instincts.

"Hermione, what the hell is going on?" Ron asked, his usually humor filled eyes darkened by confusion and fear. Hermione noticed the slight shake to his hands as he straightened her up. She had almost forgot about his shell shock symptoms. She had meant to talk to him about it, and now she kicked herself for having put it off. As she remembered his visual signs of insomnia, the way he shook before the dementors and dragons of the last battle, she wondered how she could have forgotten.

"Are you okay Ron?" She asked, standing up, still in his arms, and looking him square in the eye.

"I'd be better if I knew what was happening out there" he mumbled, his voice breaking.

"We need to sound the alarms. I don't know how they could have gotten this close undetected! Follow me to the alarm system..." no sooner had the words left her mouth and the alarms started blaring.

"Looks like someone beat us to it" Ron commented unnecessarily, as they both clapped their hands over their ears. He leaned close to her and yelled, "let's head over to the North hall. Our troop should be assembled down there in a minute."

They had gone through this drill several times. Pulling a false alarm in the middle of the night, they timed how long it would take every troop to reach their posts and prepare for battle. Hopefully today they were as fast as they had been in the past.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Night had long since descended, and as Hogwarts prepared for their night battle, Harry's troop had finally arrived at their destination. The heart of the Dark Forest. They heard their target before they even saw it. The sound of metal rustling in the strong nighttime wind came to their ears, followed by the cries of dragons. Then they felt a terrible wave of cold. It was not from the wind that ceaselessly tore at their clothing and sent goose bumps across their flesh, it was the Dementors.

Harry closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. In the back of his mind the voice of his mother was screaming, but I was faint, like a tiresome echo. Gripping the hilt of his sword, a tight anxiety built up in Harry. They were so close it was invading every one of his senses, and he shook a little from nerves. He would face his mortal enemy very soon, and the world would find out weather or not their painful trip into the Dark Forest had been worthwhile.

As the base came into sight, they began to crawl, making thorough visual surveys of every watch tower along the chain link fence. It was somewhat eerie to imagine cloaked Death Eaters sitting a top their perches, staring down upon the nighttime scene.

Crawling on his stomach, Harry abandoned his pack for more fluid motion, and the others followed in suit. "Bill" Harry hissed, bringing his mouth to the red head's ear. "We need to spread out. Look for loose sections in the fence. When someone finds one, they'll give the signal."

Bill barely nodded, but Harry knew he'd been heard. He continued across the still damp soil on his stomach, sticks and rocks jabbing into his from time to time. The chain fence was only slightly rusted, which was no surprise since Voldemort had only been revived from death a few years ago. Harry had to assume that the base was built in that first year. As Harry moved along the fence looking for a weak spot, his heart thrumming in his ears as he hoped not to be caught, he noticed something off in the distance. Something large and moving under some artificial lighting, a mere blur even to his keen eyesight and as he looked closer he saw it was not a single moving thing, but a group of smaller components that moved about like tiny flies under candlelight.

"They're people..." Harry muttered, gently pushing on the fence, and feeling a swell of excitement when it pushed back far enough to reveal a gap. He made a silent gesture to the person to his left, a wave of his hand and a cross across his chest. He watched as the signal was passed along, and soon they were all slithering in his direction. Harry grabbed the metal wire and pushed, holding the gap open for his comrades to crawl through. Only after every one of his followers had gone ahead did Harry crawl through the opening, joining the rest of them is a squatting position, absently brushing the dirt from his clothes.

"Where to now Captain?" Maddox asked in a quivering voice.

"See that moving blot down there?" Harry whispered, pointing. They all looked, many of them squinting harshly to see what he was talking about.

"I guess..." Dylan ventured, sounding very uncertain.

"I'm almost positive that they're the prisoners... just judging by the high fences and the uniform, drab clothing." Harry explained under his breath, earning a number of shocked looks.

"You can see that?!" Bill exclaimed, but Harry ignored him. Of course he could see it, his eyes weren't technically his own, they were those of his immortal form. He could see across the far expanse of the compound, he could smell the damp rust of far away metal fences, he could hear the hearts of his comrades pounding.

"We need to free those prisoners; that will be our new objective. Hopefully we can get Voldemort too, but they are more important."

"Harry!" Bill whispered harshly, and everyone seemed to share his alarm. "We came this far to finish off that menace once and for all, we can't afford distractions." Everyone nodded in agreement, feeling as though perhaps their fearless leader was losing his touch. He looked severely unmoved.

"If Ginny and Ron were over there, would those prisoners be mere distractions Bill? I think not. Keep in mind, every one of you, that the victims of this war are not just us. They are every innocent Muggle, every Muggle born; half bloods, sympathizers, people who are often good and pure in their hearts. If we don't go to them, protect them now when we can, what are we fighting for?"

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

"They came up out of the ground!" A very pale Neville Longbottom shouted to Ron and Hermione as they sprinted down the halls.

"Who did?" Ron asked, his face a clear picture of confusion.

"The Death Eaters... and, and the Dementors!" Neville shuddered with a deep convulsion like motion. "They popped out of the dirt like the living dead rising from their graves!"

"Oh no..." Hermione gasped, suddenly realizing the implications of what had occurred. Ron looked at her with impatience, wanting her to translate her thoughts to his slightly dense mind. "They've been digging tunnels Ron! That's why we haven't heard anything of them for months. They can't necessarily get through the shield, so they've gone under it..."

"Adding a surprise element as well" Ron finished, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"They could have dug clear into the castle!" Neville whimpered.

"I don't think so" Hermione assured him. "We have maps of the school grounds that show us who is where, much like the Marauder's Map." Seeing Neville's confusion she just shrugged. "I'm betting the only dug far enough to pass the shield, but not far enough to appear on our maps."

Ron looked sickly. "This confuses all our plans... we won't be able to get a clear view of the enemy... they'll already have trenches..."

"Calm down Ron" Hermione pleaded, needing him to focus. "We'll face one thing at a time. First we need to get to our troop."

Grabbing his hand she dragged him down the hall at in a fast walk that neared jogging pace. When they got to the North Hall, everyone was already there, looking alert but scared and confused.

"This ain't no drill is it?" asked one of their American soldiers in a nasally New York City accent.

"No" Hermione quickly answered, determined to take charge and show courage. She briefed them on the little she knew about the situation and then turned to Ron, nervously biting her bottom lip. Now would be the moment of truth, to see if he could pull through his destroyed nerves and take the command he was destined to fulfill. "What now Ron?"

He looked down at the ground for a few frightening, silent moments, and then he stepped forward. "Here's what we need to do."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Naturally Harry's speech won out, as if he were born to lead. Crossing the open grounds was a bit more challenging. They were incredibly relieved to finally be able to use magic to cast invisibility spells. Ironically, now that they had arrived at the enemy headquarters they could cast spells again without being noticed; they had passed beyond the detection shields.

Although they were all invisible, that did not save them from having to quietly skirt around guards, and the could only hope they didn't get sniffed out by the Chimaera's prowling the grounds, lion heads sniffing close to the ground, razor sharp dragon tails swishing. The walk proved to be fairly long, and felt twice a lengthy due to their deep nervousness. They ended in a single file line, staring up at the imposing barbed wire fence before them.

"We'll need to rip this thing open" Harry commented dryly.

"We can't use that much power and stay invisible. You know this fence will have a lot of strong protection curses on it" Bill replied, his voice emanating from some unidentifiable location.

"We don't have a choice" Harry sighed. "Draw wands."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Ron and Hermione led the pack along the outside wall of the castle. The ages, genders and nationalities of their troops varied, but they all shared one major thing in commone right now; fear. They all gripped their wands tightly by their sides, and a blustery summer wind stirred their long black combat robes, sending them swaying in unison. Ron vaguely wondered where Harry was. He always thought that when this time came, Harry would be by his side, or to be more exact, he would be by Harry's side. Life seemed to have its funny little twists and turns though.

Ron could feel that stomach churning coldness that distant Dementors were radiating, and he forced happy thoughts of destroying the enemy into his mind; determination could keep him steady for at least a little while. Stopping abruptly in mid step, Ron made a silent signal to the others, who followed his crouching technique as they made their way to the ditches that had been dug out for them weeks ago. With months of training they were all able to leap down into the safety area with adept, athletic motion. Without command they laid flat on their stomachs, faces peering over the dirt ledge of the ditch and across the open lawns in the direction of the enemy. Ron shook with nerves, and jumped when he heard someone approaching. He turned to see another group, this one headed by the twins, sliding down into the trench.

"Hey mate" Fred whispered, his face ghastly pale and contrasting grotesquely with his ink black eye patch. Ron remembered how he had lost that eye, and how it was a small price in comparison to the lives they had sacrificed in the attempt to overtake the Death Eater club. He felt the Dementor's work their magic on his as a cold fear of who they would lose this time rattled his bones.

George clapped a comforting hand on Ron's shoulder. "I'm glad we'll be together for this. I wish the whole family could stand together."

"You got your wish Forge" came a nervously laughing voice. "At least, somewhat."

They turned to see Charlie and Ginny crouched behind them, entering the ditch. "We'll be nearby" Charlie said with a nod, "our troops are positioned just a bit further down the ditch."

"Brilliant" Ron said in a tone that was not usually mixed with the term brilliant. Nevertheless, there was a definite amount of relief present. He wanted as many of his family members close by as possible, and that went for Hermione as well.

"Where's Chrome?" Hermione asked, having just joined the hurried conversation. For some unknown reason they were all whispering, as though the enemy would attack suddenly if they heard their voices.

Ginny shrugged. "How should I know?" He had avoided her like the plague ever since they had gotten back from their misadventures in London. She was regretting having mistaken mutual attraction with love.

Hermione gave Ginny a concerned look filled with mixed emotions, the most prevalent of which was distress over her brother's whereabouts. Ginny felt a churn of guilt at acting so indifferent over Chrome's well being; she seemed to have forgotten he was Hermione's brother.

Their personal thoughts were quickly executed by a loud shout. "PREPARE FOR BATTLE!" the magically enhanced voice roared, and it was so fierce and powerful that it took them all a few moments before they gathered that it was indeed the voice of Albus Dumbledore. They readied their wands and lay flat against the trench wall, muscles tenses and ready for action. Somewhere in the distance a horn wailed, and it sounded more like a high pitched shriek. Everyone shuddered at its sound as the enemy lines came into view. Death Eaters, Trolls, Dementors and a mixture of other less than desirable creatures plagued the sight before them.

Hermione studied the vision in a practical, almost academic manner, and found something that surprised her.

"These aren't their full forces" she hissed in Ron's ear. "The dragon's aren't here, and from what I gather, this line would stretch father and deeper if their army was in full count."

"Well, maybe you're right" Ron muttered, "but there sure as bloody hell are enough here to keep us all pretty damn busy."

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The prisoners had been standing in line, waiting for their disgusting, scarcely substantial dinners. The dusty artificial lights shown down on their misfortune; their pale, thin face, dark, solemn eyes. They sat on the ground to eat not having reason or energy to talk. Soon they would be sent to sleep, and tomorrow's schedule would be a carbon copy of today's. Or so they thought.

Just as the last prisoner was receiving his platter of slop, there was a massive tearing noise that filled the ear. From some unknown, magic force, the high metal fences that caged them in began to rip open, their chain links folding back and revealing sharp edges that closely resembled dagger like teeth. Then, as though slowly fading in from nowhere, the prisoner's heroes appeared. A battered bunch with muddy, torn clothing and unruly hair. The guards were quick to react, their shouts rising up into the air. One prisoner tried to run through the opening, but a green curse hit him in the chest and he fell over dead. In response, the rest of the prisoners backed away from the action, huddling together across the yard and watching the scene transpire before their eyes.

The guards may have been quick to react, but that didn't make them good at reacting necessarily. Harry found that in a single solid line, he could stand with his comrades and counter any attack set upon them. That didn't last as long as he might have hoped however. It didn't seem to be a terribly long time before more Death Eaters arrived, and the line had to be scattered. It wasn't long before ultimate chaos ensued. There were so many Death Eaters filing in about him, Harry could only fire seamless strands of spells into them to keep them away. He drew his sword with his spare hand and expertly swung it around him, making his attackers back off and giving him an open circle of space to move in.

With his mind he built a shield to hold off curses, but it was all very straining. Two Death Eaters decided to break the circle's perimeter and charge the young wizard, but Harry was not one to be taken quite so easily. A stab to the neck of one, a kick into the face of the other set them permanently on the ground. Harry knew he could stand there much longer and hold off attacks from every direction, so he did the only thing he could. He ran and dove through a crowd of them, his momentum knocking them out of the way. Landing on his hands and knees he crawled through the pandemonium, avoiding the stomping feet of the aimless enemy forces. Something, or someone grabbed his arm and he was about to blast them off when he turned and realized he was facing Maddox. The young American had a stream of blood gushing from a wound in the side of his head, and he looked severely disoriented. Harry used his body as a physical barrier between the stampede and his comrade who was rested wearily against the packed, dusty ground.

"Maddox, can you hear me?" Harry yelled, trying to keep him conscious.

"Aw, Harry man, where's Amaury?" Maddox groaned, his eyes coming in and out of focus.

"I don't know..." Harry slowly responded, not sure what Maddox was getting at (if anything).

"We need to pull off something big here" Maddox gasped in short, pained breaths. Harry was in complete accord with this statement, and he pushed his mind to think of SOMETHING as he felt someone step on his hand and he knew they had potentially just crushed a finger. Harry wondered what everyone else was doing if he was the strongest of them all and yet he was hiding on the ground. He closed his eyes and trained to ignore the commotion around him. He wished he could have a quick moment to travel rapidly to Hogwarts and back, merely to confer with Hermione. She would have some brilliant idea that would save the day, of that he had no doubt. Yet he couldn't gain her insight at the moment, and so it would be entirely up to him.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

A complete hush fell over the Order members as they heard the loud, stomping march of the enemy drawing nearer. Nobody even blinked. They merely kept their eyes on their potential doom as it steady neared them from the horizon. Ron shook with nerves and tried to eliminate old, grotesque battle memories from his mind. Ginny slowed her breathing to a near halt, forgetting her teenaged emotional conflictions altogether. Charlie wished Bill was at his side. The twins exchanged a nudge which somehow communicated a familiar message "this one is for the loss of Lee Jordan". In another location Mr. and Mrs. Weasley linked hands as they watched Dumbledore boldly walk out onto the battlefield, the glint of steely determination and power in his eyes. Hermione found herself staring beyond the enemy, off into the Dark Forest, wondering if she would ever see Harry again.

The shrill scream of the enemy horn sounded again, and suddenly they picked up their pace. The enemy was charging straight at them. The ground shook violently with their motions, and Hermione watched as a small pebble dislodged itself from the soil and was moved across the terrain simply via the vibrations of the ground moving.

The first round of spells came from enemy wands, hitting the edges of the ditches with reasonable force. Hermione quickly slid further down the trench wall as a red spell hit the ground before her, leaving a tiny crater. Closing her eyes and muttering a quick prayer of sorts, she then leapt up from her hidden position and fired off an assault of spells, her motions quick and accurate. She took down a number of Death Eaters before ducking for cover once more.

"HIT THE TROLLS!" Ron was yelling, "Don't let the trolls get any closer!"

Hermione joined him in his efforts to keep the massive (though idiotic) creatures away from the trenches. Though the Halloween debacle of first year had taught them that mountain trolls were simple to knock out, simple stunning spells did nothing to them. Hermione knew that they would have to launch something into the oncoming enemies, but what to use was the question.

Grabbing Ron's arm she forcefully dragged him behind the ditch wall and explained her unfinished plan to him.

"We need something solid and heavy to launch a them?" He asked, raising a confused eyebrow. Hermione nodded profusely and he just sighed at her. "Are you or aren't you a witch?!" he exclaimed loudly. "Transfigure something!"

"Oh... right" Hermione blushed, gathering a handful of peddles as she spoke and transforming them into a pile of rocks with an adept wand motion and incantation. Ron was the first to test her theory.

"Wingardium Leviosa" he muttered, feeling a strong sense of déjà vu gripping at him. He brought the rock midair, and then he pulled his arm back as though swinging a bat, and swung the wand hard, making a whooshing noise in the air. The rock took off like a bullet, whizzing towards the enemy and smashing a troll in the face.

Hermione and Ron stood very close, neither breathing as they watched the troll stumble about a bit, blood pouring from its ugly nose. It took two giant steps forward, then a baby step backwards, and finally it crumbled to the ground unconscious.

The two friends beamed at each other. "Let's get them trolls!" Ron shouted, feeling a swell of pride and hope erupting.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

What Harry was experiencing had nothing to do with pride and much to do with blind hope. He found himself dragging Maddox through the stampedes of Death Eaters, launching an occasional attack on those who noticed them there. He had no idea of where he was going, or what he would be doing within the next couple minutes. He tried to focus his hearing in on familiar voices amidst the raucous. A shout hear, a scream there, voices mixed with stomping feet and the general sound of disorder. He cleared the noisy clutter from his mind until he heard only one voice, the voice of Bill Weasley.

"Where's Maddox and Harry?" the confused asked in a breathless manner.

"Zi do not know" Amaury asked, a tint of concern in his usually disdainful voice.

Harry followed the sounds of their voices until he found them, and was intensely relieved to see that somehow, everyone had stuck together and were still on their feet and fighting.

"Harry!" Bill cried out with great relief. His eyes were full of fear and innocence, pleading Harry for answers to the current dilemma. Harry stood up, knowing now was the moment he must take charge. Even if he had trouble accepting the role of leader, it was the role destiny had assigned him, and now he had to fulfill it. Amaury and another helped the woozy Maddox to his feet, and Harry suddenly gained a quick idea.

Behind them were the prisoners. In front of them was the enemy. All they needed to do was buy a little time to use the port keys to transport the prisoners and themselves back to Hogwarts. He kicked the ground, driving the toe of his solid dragon hide boots into the dusty ground, and found it was not particularly hard. With a rare grin of hopefulness he made a gesture at Bill. Bill gave him a puzzled look but was quick to respond. Within a matter of minutes they were rapidly back peddling, making a slight distance between themselves and the enemy crowd.

Harry aimed his hand at the ground and with a surge of deep magical energy, he blasted a crater into its surface. Everyone watched as the unsuspecting Death Eaters tumbled into the ditch. Harry needn't say a word to his companions. Soon they were blasting craters all over, making a barrier that was deep enough and wide enough to bring the oncoming enemy forces to a halt.

"I'm going to create a deflection shield to hold them off while you get the prisoners out of here!" Harry proclaimed to his eager audience. "I won't be able to hold such a big shield for long, so make it fast!"

They ran to fulfill his commands, and Harry slowly closed his eyes as if going to sleep. Spells from the unmoving enemy whizzed past him, but he merely stood there calm as could be. With a deep breath he raised his hands, radiating a silver glow, like an emerging patronus. Only this spell didn't dispel Dementors, it deflected spells. It didn't feed off of happy thoughts, it fed off of calm.

Harry let the few memories of relaxation he had fill his brain. He remembered laying beside Hermione at night, feeling as though somehow they could both pull through it all. That sense of hope and security fueled his magic, and the silver glow expanded and spread to create a foggy wall between the enemy and them.

Harry had bought them a little time, and it was endlessly valuable that they make use of that time.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The Death Eaters had advanced far enough across the battle field that they were at close range battle. Line formations had dispersed and there were now a few bodies strewn across the slanting nighttime lawn.

"ARMS READY!" Ron called, and Hermione shuddered. It was now or never. "CHARGE!"

Strong and courageous Gryffindors arose from their positions and ran out onto the battlefield, entering the line of fire. They surprised and eliminated the unexpecting Death Eaters, their training kicking into action. Hermione cleared her mind to a state of blankness as she ran, her body seemed to work on it's on. Her legs pumped across the ground, her wand firing with great accuracy, dodging the occasional spell fired at her. As they neared the enemy lined the paces of both groups slowed until they were at a halt, merely standing still as streams of light shot in every direction.

Two Death Eaters were attempting to close in on Hermione, and she found herself continuously having to dodge and duck, shouting counter spells at them which they continued to successfully deflect. They continued in their grid lock duel for several moments before Hermione was able to move quicker then one of them and stun him out of the competition. It was down to a one on one when Hermione noticed a large lumbering shadow crawling out of the nighttime darkness. The mountain troll moved the Death Eater out of the way with a powerful swing of its club. With a crunch of bones the enemy crumbled to the ground, and the troll stepped on his body while making its speedy advance towards Hermione. She hit the ground before the first attempted blow, feeling the club whiz over her head. She crawled across the ground, an idea suddenly filling her mind.

As the Mountain Troll reared back for another swipe, she ran next to a Death Eater, and as the club went down she dove out of the way. She achieved the desired effect, and the Death Eater's skull was soon busted open by the beast's mighty swing. Roaring in outrage, it began to swing blindly, eliminating another two Death Eaters. Hermione rapidly attempted to back away, but its large strides were gaining distance on her. It grinned with a rotted tooth look of malice, and then prepared to deal her death blow when a speeding rock suddenly collided with it's head. Blood rushed out in a sickening manner, and it fell down in a heap without the slightest final breath.

Hermione had no time to show Ron any gratitude as she was soon back in the action of dueling with another Death Eater.

Hermione was by no means the only one who had her hands full. Ginny had fought her way into the center of the throngs of Death Eaters and now found herself mentally and physically exhausted. She stunned one Death Eater only to be met by two more. Suddenly she noticed a presence beside her and looked over to see that George had fought his way over to her. A moment later Fred was there to. The Death Eaters seemed to grow weary as they gradually backed away from the three forceful Wesleys. Unfortunately for the Death Eaters, they didn't recede fast enough because they were finished in no time at all.

"A little red head power!" Fred cheered, giving George a high five. They both gave Ginny a quick, tight group hug and she was quickly annoyed by their cheerful behavior in the midst of chaos. She wondered if they hadn't gone a bit insane from it all. Perhaps this was just their way of dealing with the stress.

An sudden explosion silenced the twins immediately.

"What the bloody hell was that?" George gasped as the three of them drew closer together. They watched with concern as all the Death Eaters drew back rapidly, running to the tunnels they had come in from. Another explosion shook the ground even harder, and the twins caught Ginny from toppling over.

"They have missiles..." Ginny whispered under her breath, watching on smash into a castle wall and create a shower of heavy gravel.

"RUN FOR COVER!" Yelled a voice, and they didn't need to hear it twice. Ginny turned sharply and started running, remembering the how just a week ago her and Chrome had been followed by Death Eaters in Muggle vehicles. For someone who hated Muggles, Voldemort had no problem with using their more lethal notions for himself.

A whistling filled the air as another explosion, this one closer by, sent a hard shock wave through the Earth. Ginny lost her balance and flew through the air. She watched the ground pass beneath her in a blur before she crashed to the ground, her hands instantly being torn in the fall and stinging wounds bleeding on her hands and legs. Her brothers didn't notice as she struggled to get to get up.

"RUN FOR IT!" yelled a now distant voice. She looked about her and realized she was desperately alone on a nighttime battlefield filled with dust and scattered with bodies. She came to her feet, gasping for breath and feeling wild with fear. The sound of running feet were mere pitter patters, and now another whistling could be heard. She knelt down this time, bracing herself for the jolt it would send. This one landed so near to her it threw her anyways, and she rolled across the ground, not sure whether she even felt lucky to be alive. Loose dirt and gravel fell hard upon her as she covered her head. Peddles bruised her body as they rained down. She got to her feet once more, feeling shaky and rising very slowly as if unsure.

Out of the frightening darkness a hand grasped her injured one and pulled her up, dragging her forwards towards cover. She ran at the strong tugging of her unknown comrade and squinted her tired eyes to make out who it was who now held her hand so tightly. When she realized who had come, she felt stupid for not having known right away.

In the midst of the ravaged battlefield, Chrome Granger had come to her aid.

They leapt down into a trench as another blast resounded across the death filled lawns. Pressing his back against the trench wall, Chrome released Ginny's injured hand and wrapped a protective arm around her middle instead. She looked over at him, catching his dark brown eyes with her own. His face was unreadable, but hers was filled with fear.

"It'll be alright" he whispered. "We're together now."

Ginny took in a long shaky breath and rested her head on his shoulder; listening to the thick silence that over took their surroundings. He kissed her forehead and she looked up at him with a bit of surprise in her eyes.

"I'm sorry" he sighed looking away.

"For what?" she demanded, still being held close to him by his strong arm.

"For not telling you I love you."

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The port keys were at the ready. Not a single person had been lost to the mission yet, and that carried its own flicker of hope. Now they were on the verge of returning to Hogwarts after over a month of sleeping in the woods and hiking through difficult terrain. They were returning to warm beds where they didn't have to worry about werewolves springing on them in the night. They would no longer have to be poisoned daily by the evil, unnatural surroundings of the Dark Forest.

Bill smiled with relief as he prepared the port key to transport them away. "Join hands" he commanded with more authority than he felt. The scared prisoners abruptly followed his demands, and as he grabbed a rough dirty hand to his left, he reached out with his right to touch the port key. He never made it.

An anguished yell had broken his concentration, and he looked over to see that Harry's power was beginning to fail him. He was backing quickly away from the hoards of his attackers, and one spell caught him just above the eye, creating a sudden gush of blood to trickle down his face. Bill never thought twice as he turned to help.

"TOUCH THAT KEY!" he commanded one of the prisoners, and he drew his wand. He heard a pop behind him as they disappeared, but the sound of all his comrades and the prisoners being port keyed away was insignificant in his mind. They sounded so far away, like a distant and unimportant memory. He ran to Harry, shouting his name. He watched as another spell hit Harry in the chest, and he stumble backwards before regaining his balance. A purple curse glanced off Harry's leg, and Bill watched as it slid sideways, the pants tearing and blood staining the black cloth.

"HARRY!" Bill yelled again, feeling as though he was running in place. He knew he was about to watch his brother's best friend be murdered.

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(((ATTENTION: That's all for chapter 15, we are nearing the end, so please: KEEP REVIEWING!)))

Gryffindor620: I laughed very hard when I read your comment about Chrome and Ginny going off for some mindless screwing.... Not a bad idea, though there's a little war that has to get in the way first. Hehehe.

Mrs-osborne's-class: Thanks for reviewing as always, it's much appreciated. Lots of action in this chapter as we approach the final segment, hope you enjoyed it all.

Theresa Black: Thanks for your great encouragement. I know it's been a while since I last updated, but I do have every intention of finishing. After working on this series for over a year (I actually began it before the fifth book came out and then adapted it to fit), it would be a horrible shame not to end it when I'm so close. I hope you keep reading and reviewing until the end!

Shadowmonk: Any review is a good review, thanks for taking the time to comment.

My-name000000000000: Thanks for the great compliments, it's awesome to hear when people really get into enjoying my this story. I hope this chapter was equally entertaining as the others.

Ives: Sorry I took so long updating! Hopefully the length and content of this chapter make up for the wait.


	16. Mourning and Cheering

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

((Long time no chapter eh? Alright, here's a Thanksgiving present as I count down the final chapters until the end. Next chapter may actually be THE LAST. I'm not sure, but I know it's getting very close to the finale.))

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"Thoughts of death receded from my mind. Peril, loss abandonment…. All lost their meaning to me. I began to believe in other things. To glimpse at possibilities. For the first time in my life I knew hope."

-"Elektra"

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Hermione stood at the edge of the battlefield where the fighting had just subsided. It hadn't lasted very long, and she knew that the dark forces had not been in full numbers. It was as though they were merely testing the capabilities of the Order of the Phoenix, engaging in battle and then withdrawing to the pounding of missiles. As Hermione gazed out on the ruin she noticed Ron standing beside her, their troops behind them. They surveyed their surroundings with a morbid silence.

"I think they've all gone now" Ron muttered, secretly seeking Hermione's hand and giving it a quick squeeze of comfort. It did not subside her fears however, it did not diminish the black stains of hatred surrounding them. She could feel the cold sweat of his frail flesh, the tremble of his young hands. Who were they to stop such destruction?

Hermione was about to agree with Ron's observation when she noticed a group of figures approaching them from not far off. They were unrecognizable in the night, but she could see that a few of them wore black robes.

"Draw wands" Ron dictated under his breath and she could hear a slow scurry of motion behind her as their soldiers unsheathed their wands. They followed the approaching enemy with their eyes, wands pointed ahead of them.

"They're moving very slowly" someone commented.

"That and they aren't firing" Ron muttered. "Listen, everyone get down into that trench over there. If you see any firing, attack. Me and Hermione are gonna go check this out."

Hermione nodded in agreement, and she looked back only once to make sure that the troops were following commands. She walked close to Ron as they crossed the open grounds. As they got closer she saw a sight she never would have expected to be confronted with that night.

Leading a rag tag group of half starved people were eight men and women in black robes. At the center stood Amaury and Maddox, shoulder to shoulder, their faces weary but determined.

"They're back!" Ron exclaimed feeling a jolt of shock through his body. He picked up his pace, running towards them, and Hermione was running as well.

"What happened here?!" Maddox yelled, looking suddenly dismayed at the still bodies and torn Earth around him.

Hermione didn't even hear his question. "Where is Harry?" she panted, grabbing Maddox by the shoulders and looking him straight in the eyes.

Maddox looked as though he were caught in some type of confusing dream. "He didn't come…"

"What about Bill?" Ron demanded, his voice shaking but fierce.

Maddox shrugged, still staring at the damage that had been done. Ron pushed Hermione aside gripping Maddox by the shoulders.

"I asked you where my brother is!" Ron screamed, his face red. "Answer my fucking question!"

Maddox looked shaken and tried to move away from the enraged red head.

"TELL ME!" Ron roared, blindly punching Maddox in the jaw. In his gut Ron knew something was terribly wrong, but it played out as deep hatred towards Maddox' silence.

Amaury jumped onto Ron, knocking him to the ground where he struggled to pin him down.

"Ron!" Hermione shouted, suddenly dismayed by his actions. "Ron calm down!" His panic was spreading to her. Everyone had come back but Harry and Bill. What did it all mean? She spun towards Maddox whose eyes were open with shock over the punch that had just been delivered. He tenderly held his bruised jaw in one hand. Hermione noticed that he had a deep gash in his head, and realized he had some type of concussion. He couldn't focus let alone understand what was happening around him. She scanned the lines of Harry's fighters and noticed he wasn't the only one who was injured. A number of them were being supported by others, or sported still bleeding wounds. They had just come from some battling action.

Her mind switched to logical mode. She raised her wand into the air and shot up a signal calling for help. Within moments her troops were standing before her, question in their eyes.

"Get all of them to the Hospital Wing" she ordered, and they did as told. Hermione grabbed one of Harry's comrades by the arm. "Who are those people behind you?"

"Prisoners" the woman responded. "They were imprisoned in the Death Eater camp. They'll need medicine… and rest."

Hermione nodded in understanding, and watched as her troops moved them all off the field and into the castle. She turned her attention back to Ron and Amaury. Ron was panting off to the side with a now bloody nose, and Amaury looked ready to pounce again, his eye blackened from the struggle.

"Amaury please, tell us what happened and then get some medical attention" Hermione pleaded in her best attempt at carrying a civil tone.

" 'E was 'olding off ze enemy as we saved ze prisoners. I 'eard 'im shout, but ze port key vas already pulling me away. Bill Weasley went to help him. I do not know if they will still be coming."

Hermione took a staggering step backwards. "How many strong were the enemy?"

Amaury looked saddened as he caught her eye. "Many, I cannot say exactly. Almost fifty perhaps."

She gasped and fell to her knees. How could they survive that? She closed her eyes. "Have faith Hermione" she whispered aloud. "Just have a little faith."

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Harry felt his heart slow. He was too tired to hold out any longer. His body wanted to fall to the ground, but somehow he stayed standing. Wounds in his chest, head and leg screamed out at him, and then they went numb. The world faded out, everything turned black. He couldn't hear, taste, smell or feel anything. His crushed fingers from earlier were nonexistent.

"HARRY!" A voice yelled, the only noise that broke through the emptiness he had found himself in. "Bill" he murmured. The world reappeared before him, and he saw how close the enemy was. In a flash of metal he drew his sword and swung out at the closest, disposing of them.

Spells whizzed out from behind him as Bill stunned a number of the attackers. Bill ran to his side, and together they lashed out with all that was left in them. The enemy closed in around them, a gradually tightening circle that they tried to fight off. The two men stood back to back, the only good souls left in the entire camp. They knew they were nearing the end, but there was no giving up.

Harry stabbed and cursed, using his two weapons and even his feet when necessary. Another blast to his ribs resulted in an explosion of pain that brought him to his knees.

"Potter" whispered a voice in his head, and his scar slowly began to burn. "Potter… I see you… you're dying." There was soft, sick laughter soon after. "Potter… Potter…"

Rage exploded in Harry's heart. He could not die, he would not listen to the snake that was invading his brain. Harry dropped his sword and tossed his head back to the cloudy night sky. "SHOW YOURSELF COWARD!" Harry yelled. Closing his eyes, a vision over took him. He exerting all his power into seeing Voldemort, and then the image wavered before his eyes. He stood in a dark hall, staring through a crimson window at the fighting transpiring before him.

Harry opened his eyes, gasping for breath, looking wildly about him. He saw the hall. He saw the crimson window. Grabbing Bill he pushed his way through the suffocating masses of enemy bodies. Explosions of rage fueled power sent Death Eaters flying in every direction. Beams of energy shot from his firsts and the whole way Bill had his back, punching or stunning everyone who approached. They broke free from their attackers and ran towards the building. Harry blew the doors open and dove inside, Bill close on his heels.

With a wave of his hand he closed the door once more and sealed it to keep the attackers out for at least a short while. He turned to Bill in time to see him collapse to the floor.

"BILL!" He shouted, his voice hoarse. He ran to Bill's side and looked at his battered form, blood seeping from his many unfixable wounds.

"Harry… I'm sorry…"

Harry tried to keep a stern face, but a single tear escaped him. "No Bill, you saved me. You're a hero. You've given me the chance…"

"Tell my family I love them" Bill interrupted with a pained breath. "See you on the other side Harry. You're the true hero."

He went suddenly still, his eyes empty, his body limp. Harry let out one moan of pain and rage, and then rose to his feet. He noticed Bill had picked up the sword he had dropped, Gryffindor's sword, the sword he had once saved Ginny with.

He slid it back into its sheath at his belt, and then withdrew his port key. Folding it into Bill's limp hand, he watched as the motionless body was port keyed away.

Then he turned away, regaining his composure. He had no way of returning now, but that did not mean he planned to lose.

"TOM!" He yelled, prepared for the final battle.

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Ron brushed off the restraining hands that were now trying to comfort him. With his shoulders slouched and his head hung low, he walked off into the distance. Neville had just come over, and made to grab him, but Hermione stopped the worried boy.

"Leave him Neville" she sighed "there's nothing we can do for him right now." She turned to Neville with worry in her eyes and he put a tentative arm around his school age friend's shoulders.

"I wish I could do something" he mumbled, watching Ron stagger away.

"I know Neville. Just when you think you've lived through the worse of times, more comes crashing down on you. He'll need some time alone is all…"

"Who will?" questioned a female voice from behind them. Hermione felt her breath catch painfully in her chest as she turned quickly to see Ginny standing their.

Ginny was no idiot. She did not miss the panicked looks in their eyes mixed with concern and guilt. She didn't miss the gleam of tears in Hermione's eyes. She faintly noticed Chrome's hand on her back, but everything else was spinning. She tried to regain control.

"Is it one of the Twins?" She sobbed, and both of her friends looked shocked by her awareness of the situation at hand. "It is isn't it!" she screamed, getting dizzy once more. Chrome pulled her back to him as she began to pitch forward, and in her sudden weakness she resolved to lean back against him, shaking with fear.

"No, Ginny, the Twins are fine" Neville blurted out. "I saw them before I came over here. They were with Charlie and your parents. They asked me to tell you go to the Hospital Wing if I saw you."

Ginny's eyes shot open. So it was certainly one of her family members. "Percy?" she asked, wishing they could cease the guessing games.

"Yes, he suffered some type of injury" Neville nodded.

"But that isn't what this is about" Ginny guessed.

"It's Bill" Hermione replied, her head hung low. "Everyone else has come back but Bill and Harry. They just port keyed in a moment ago."

Ginny said nothing. "Not Bill" she thought, tears escaping her. He was her cool big brother, the one she always heard girls giggling over, the one she always wanted to hang out with growing up. He had always been so kind though protective of her. She couldn't bear to lose any of her bothers, especially Bill though. Her sarcasm and wit, her bad girl side, they all originated from Bill, the rebel of the family.

It was standing in silence that they heard the worse sound they would ever hear in their lives. A tormented scream of agony ripped through the night air, vanquishing every silence, breaking every strand of hope.

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"Potter…" the snake like voice echoed back. Harry slowly looked about him, maintaining his calm. His eyes were adjusting to the pitch black of the empty hall. As he glanced over it, he realized it was almost like a Cathedral inside. The crimson windows were truly stained glass patterns that revealed a green snake through the middle. Rows of benches adorned the floors, and they seemed to go on for quite a distance before a massive stage and podium spiraled up in the front. The floor, walls, and impressively tall columns were all stone. The vaulted ceilings were almost intimidating in their grandeur.

"So this is where it ends Riddle" Harry thought, "Quite the setting to die in."

"Potter, I never thought you'd make it so far" whispered the voice in his mind once more. His scar began to burn and he abruptly shoved the Dark Lord out of his head.

"No more head games" Harry said softly, in a deep and solemn tone.

"I'm here Potter" Voldemort replied, his voice calm, lacking it's usual malice. He did not through in a single slur on Harry's parents or a jab about the young man's short comings in the past. None of that mattered now. They both wanted to end it.

Harry looked straight ahead of him, down the center aisle of the shadowy church style benches. There Voldemort stood, raising from the ground like a twisted black tree trunk, his heavy robes hanging from his limbs. His red eyes burned out like a haunting memory, but Harry didn't shudder nor move. He planted his feet firmly against the rock flooring. The wound above his eyes still bled, and one side of his face was coated in his own dried blood. He readied his wands for magic, one shaking with nerved from the broken and swollen fingers there. His injured leg was a distant memory now, but the gash in his chest made breathing a terrible struggle. His dirty and ripped traveling clothes gave him a wild, almost desperate appearance.

They squared off, and Voldemort fired the first attack.

"AVADA KEDAVA!"

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Ginny ripped free of Chrome's hold, mostly because he wasn't trying to hold her back. Nevertheless, he felt the force in which she left him running towards the sound of the desperate cry. Hermione was right on her heels, and a shaken looking Neville stared at Chrome.

"Come on" Chrome muttered, feeling a pang of anxiety spread through his body. The two young men sprinted after Hermione and Ginny, only to stop quickly as they nearly ran into them. Ginny and Hermione had stopped abruptly, standing motionless.

Before them Ron was bent over the motionless form of Bill Weasley, weeping in a soul tearing manner. He had one of Bill's limp arms gripped in his hands and he rocked back and forth as he kneeled on the ground. His face was contorted in such a manner that he seemed to be suffering the worst type of physical pain, 1,000 torture curses mixed into one. Yet they all knew that it wasn't physical pain that was tormenting him.

Ginny stood motionless and speechless for some time. "Perhaps Ron is wrong" her mind rushed, "perhaps he's only wounded." She knew that was not right though; Bill was dead. She lost her balance and fell. Someone caught her, she wasn't sure who. She was settled onto the ground where she stared up at the cloudy sky, lying still beside her brother who would never move again.

Hermione sat beside Ron, resting her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him tightly as he shook with grief. "Oh Harry, where are you?" she wondered through her own tears. From the limp hand Ron clutched tumbled a small silver key. "The port key" she whispered, confused how a dead man had managed to port key himself to Hogwarts. Moving slightly away from Ron, Hermione took the key in her hand and turned it over.

In every port key they had etched their names before leaving so they could all be responsible for keeping track of their own passports home. Now Hermione gazed down at the heavy metallic key and looked at the etching on it.

"POTTER" was written in deep black, capital letters along the side. This was Harry's port key; he had been the one to transport Bill's lifeless body home to his family. Hermione moved closer to Ron as she realized the implications. Harry had no way of coming back now.

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Harry dodged the killing spell with youthful athleticism. He landed on his wounded leg with an acute pain, but shook it off. He spun midair and delivered a series of curses that required the Dark Lord's complete concentration in deflecting. Harry used the next moment to uproot one of the benches from its concrete fastenings.

The long wooden bench was heavy and required advanced wandless magic to maneuver. Harry hardly noticed in his determination; he had never felt so powerful in all his life. With a swish of his hand he sent the bench whizzing towards his parents' murderer.

Voldemort held out two had and obliterated it to dust. The he used the same trick against Harry.

Harry's eyes widened as a bench came hurtling at him this time. He hit the floor, his chest searing with pain as he landed on the hard surface. Even without wind in his lungs, Harry leapt back up to his feet and expelled an incredible amount force at his enemy.

Voldemort caught the spell in the chest and flew backwards ten feet before skidding across the floor. He came back up to his feet with terrible vengeance in mind. The foolish, weak young boy had been killed once already, he could be killed again. He tried entering Harry's mind but could not gain access.

Harry had had enough. Years of fighting, death and terror had climaxed to this final moment. He had no doubts or concerns, he had only a strong will fueled by a contained rage. Voldemort could not enter his mind, he could not affect him with words as he had when he was younger, he could not damage him with ordinary spells.

Perhaps in his final moments, Voldemort saw that he could not win, somewhere deep in his cold, merciless heart he knew it was over. He would not accept it in his mind though. He bellowed in rage and pressed down upon Harry, arms raised high, surrounded by every ounce of magic he could summon.

"AVADA KEDAVA" he shouted once more, and from his a brilliant ray of green was expelled, racing straight at his target.

Time stilled as Harry remembered that green light, the light that had haunted his dreams as a boy, the light that had filled his home as a baby, disposing of his caring and wonderful parents. He remembered how it had he had evaded that spell for so long, dodging it, fearing it from the day the imposter Moody had explained unforgivable curses to them. The green light… a light he had used to kill others in the past, the light that had hit him in the back and killed him once already- before he was given a second chance at life. Green like the eyes of his mother, his eyes, green like the colors of Slytherin. A conflicting color, a color he would finally face, this time head on. He held out a single hand and felt all his being crackle with energy. He felt an overwhelming sense of calm as the light came closer. His scar burned and he heard voices fill his head.

His mother singing him lullabies, his father laughing. Dumbledore offering him a word of wisdom, Hagrid teaching a class, Lupin howling. He heard Sirius talking to him, and then Fred and George telling a joke… Ron ranting about Quidditch, Hermione telling him she loved him…

The spell never reached him. Harry last consciousness as Voldemort died, the spell rebounding upon him as it had so many years ago, and this time for good. Two of the most powerful men in the world laid motionless in a great hall, and not a sound was heard.

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The Wesleys were standing outside the hospital room of their son Percy when they received news of Bill. They had just come from weeping over the loss of his right arm to a two person welcoming committee of Hermione and Neville.

Mrs. Weasley felt her mother's intuition on full alert as soon as she saw the red eyes and shaky hands of her son's young school friends. Hermione and Neville had set Ginny and Ron down in an empty classroom for privacy while they collected their family. Despite their own troubles, they were both quickly able to comprehend that the last thing needed in this sensitive situation was for the rest of the family to be approached by a hysterical Ron or Ginny.

Hermione was trying to compress her concerns for Harry and focus on the loss of Bill and the need of her friends. Before she settled Ron and Ginny down, she gave Chrome a tight hug that seemed to surprise him, but that he reciprocated without hesitation. In her mind she briefly realized that her own brother could be the dead like Bill had fate slipped only a little in another direction. There were so many reconciliations still to be made, and she wanted him in her life; in these past months perhaps she even needed him.

Hermione found that she didn't even need to give the Weasley's the actual news. "It's Bill…" was all she managed to get out before Mrs. Weasley was pitching forward, sobbing in the sort of way that made everything seem dead, the way that only a mother could. The rest of the family was quick to catch on.

"Where are Ron and Ginny?" Mr. Weasley pleaded, his face ghastly pale, slow tears sliding down his aged cheeks.

Silently Neville gestured for them all to follow him and slowly they did so. Charlie abruptly ran for the nearest trash can and ended up at the hallway corner where he threw up the contents of his stomach. Hermione waited behind as his horrible retching noises filled the now empty hallway. When he was done she led him to the classroom to be rejoined with the rest of his family. Just down the hallway, a sleeping Percy had no idea about the life changing event that had just occurred.

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Harry regained consciousness before long. His wounds were instantly signaled to his brain like blazing flames across his body. He jerked in sudden agony and then went limp again. He breathed deeply and slowly opened his tired green eyes. What he was opening his eyes to was a world where Voldemort could no longer hurt is loved ones, could no longer hurt him. This new world flickered before his eyes as his exhausted brain struggled to maintain consciousness.

He forced himself to sit up and remained in the sitting position for a while. What had just happened kept seeping slowly into his brain. "I won" he laughed in a bitter manner. Tears coursed down his face. He stood and walked over to the dead Voldemort. He picked up his late enemy's wand and snapped it in half without a second thought. He absently tucked his parents' murder weapon into his pocket. Years of suffering and fear… suddenly ended.

He turned his back to the Dark Lord after his final glance at the face that haunted his nightmares. He staggered across the empty hall which was now strewn with remnants of their fight. Finding a staircase he ascended it on weakening legs, feeling a growing distance from the real world as he lost more and more blood. Upwards the stairs spiraled until they ended at a flat door in the ceiling. Harry pulled it down with a considerable amount of pain, and climbed through via a short ladder that was located nearby. He stepped ou into the night and was met by the moon escaping from two powerful black clouds. The pure moonlight shone down on his pale tear strewn face and the power of the sight behind him and the sight before him caused him to stagger back and hit the ground with a loud thud.

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Chrome had led Ginny and Ron into the empty classroom. He watched as they clung to each other, Ginny hysterical with weeping, Ron looking more stunned now that the initial shock had passed, almost as though he had seen the proof and now it seemed nothing more than a terrible nightmare he couldn't seem to come to terms with. Chrome wanted to somehow comfort Ginny to be with her in any way he could and yet he knew that he couldn't. He was never good at being compassionate, just as he was never good at loving others. Besides that, right now she needed to be with her family, a family which could only ever shun him for being the sinner he was. It would be best if he disappeared for a little while.

Thus with a final sad look he left the room and neither of the mourning siblings so much as glanced in his direction- they were no longer amongst the living for their hearts were now with Bill in the afterlife.

After walking down the hall and around the corner Chrome sagged against the wall, staring off into the shadowy depths of the torch lit hallway. He heard the rest of the Weasley's running into the classroom and he closed his eyes as if doing so would tune out the noises of their cries of pain.

"Uh... Hermione is there anything else you need me to do?" Chrome heard Neville asking somewhere in another corridor.

"No Neville, thanks so much though I...." she sounded choked up for a moment, "I know the Weasley's will really appreciate your friendship through all of..." she lost her voice again. He heard them hug and then Hermione simply whispered, "go get some rest Neville."

The sound of footsteps filled the hallway and a moment later Neville passed, not seeing Chrome in the shadows. An eerie silence filled the air after Neville's footsteps faded, and then he heard crying.

"Hermione?" he called out, slowly walking in the direction of the noise. She jumped as she heard his voice, not knowing there were others around.

"Damnit Chrome you scared the bloody hell out of me!" she exclaimed, trying to wipe her away her tears in a hurried manner.

"Sorry" he shrugged with an apologetic grimace. He stood before her trying to catch her eye but she merely stared at the floor.

"Don't ask me if I'm alright" she said, her voice monotone.

"I'm not as stupid as I look" he said lightly. "I just want to say that... mourn for Bill but still have faith in Harry. You would know if he was gone."

"You can't be so sure of that" she whispered, finally looking up.

"But you can" he offered. "Deep down I think you know he's still alive."

She bit her lip and then wept a bit more. Without thinking he suddenly held her to him and soon found his sister crying against his shoulder. The whole atmosphere was so heartbreaking he almost wanted to cry, yet the truth of the matter was that he had never cried in his entire life, even as a baby (or so his junkie mother had claimed). So instead he just stood with her in the deserted hallway as she sobbed against him, and despite the silencing charm on the abandoned classroom with his Celtic Warrior ears he could hear Ginny's tormented cries.

After a while had passed Hermione stepped away.

"I think you're right... I have to think your right, I can't grieve for a death that hasn't even come to pass."

Chrome smiled a bit "now that's a bit of that 'Granger Logic' our old Dad was always preaching."

"If I recall you lacked it entirely" she smirked.

"Hey now, that's not very..." he stopped suddenly and Hermione watched as he made a start for the door of the abandoned classroom and then stopped himself. His eyes looked so sad it caught her off guard. She suddenly realized he could hear what was happening in the room.

"Chrome... they just need to be together right now" she offered, gently taking hold of his arm.

"I know" he muttered, having trouble turning away.

"Let's go for a walk."

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Bloody and battered on the roof of an evil Cathedral. It sounded like something from an outrageous action novel and yet it was his life. He had never been ordinary.

He wanted to stand up and find a way out- to descend the stairs, walk back past Voldemort's dead body and leave the camp altogether. In his mind he had the will to walk nonstop for months just to return to Hermione. Yet his body couldn't handle it.

Nevertheless he couldn't help but speculate about how close he was to having everything. He had won the final battle, he was alive and he had a found a deep love in his life, a love he had never known growing up an orphan. If only he could be back at Hogwarts, back with her... he would marry her some day, and they would live at Gryffindor Manor. They would restore joy and love to its dark mysterious halls. He would see Ron marry Cho and their kids would be best friends. They would have big holiday celebrations like he had seen on TV at the Dursleys. They would grow old together, the trio, friends and family. He would even meet the Grangers and convince them that he was the best man for their daughter.

Tears streamed down his face and he almost laughed at the swelling self pity within him. His face was damp and he didn't know where the tears and the blood were separate. He looked up at the sky, watching the moon and the vast, cloudy night sky. His vision began to narrow and soon he saw just the moon and clouds, and he took a shaky breathe as his vision narrowed to a thin slit, and he saw only the moon.

An image suddenly swept over the shining moon, a black dot against its brilliance. A sudden kick of adrenaline hit him and he sat up a bit, opening his eyes, trying his hardest to see. He watched, holding his breath as the flying figure came closer and closer. Then he saw it.

Strong, silvery wings spanned out, the moonlight catching and reflecting on every gorgeous, delicate feather. "It's an angel" he though with wonder, a sudden feeling of peace filling him. "An angel coming to collect me to go onto the next life..." He tilted his head to the side, smiling a bit, and then he realized he'd been mistaken. It was no angel but rather a Hippogriff- and not just any Hippogriff- the one he had kept at Gryffindor Manor.

It ascended onto the rooftop, perching on its edge with beautiful grace. Gently easing the wounded soldier onto its back it leapt into the night sky and took off at full speed. Harry rested against his feathers, slowly losing consciousness his last thoughts were of Bill- of the conversation they had shared that night in the rain.

"Haven't you just ever known to do something, but you aren't sure why?" He had asked Bill. He had wanted to go on without them but Bill had stopped him. Now he knew why had such a strong feeling that night. Somehow he knew that if they went with him something terrible would happen. At the time he believed that it would be Voldemort gaining victory. Now he knew that it was Bill's death he had sensed.

It had been a terrible mistake, but inevitable. Bill would have followed him no matter what he said or did. And now one of his senses had proven true again- was indeed saving his life.

That key he had given Hermione to Gryffindor Manor before leaving. He hadn't known why he'd done it. He knew he wanted her to have his photo album, something to show her how much he'd always cared and always would care. But the reason for the key was an enigma even to him. He had simply done it on instinct. Now all the puzzle pieces were falling into place.

She had somehow released the Hippogriff from its cage.

He buried his face in the feathers. None of that mattered now. He was going home.

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They didn't walk anywhere near the battlefield. To see their comrades bloodied and dead would only serve to make them lose what remained of their sanity. Instead Chrome and Hermione took to the dungeons, a place that should have been wholly depressing and yet offered solace from the even bleaker world. They didn't talk for a while and then Hermione finally spoke up.

"Do you love her?" she asked, and neither paused in surprise or confusion. They walked in silence for a while longer before he replied.

"Yes."

"Her family will never understand that… nobody will ever be good enough for the baby of the family."

"Especially not a murdering criminal" he muttered, his voice sounding tired.

She gave him a brief look of concern. He was a murdering criminal, she couldn't fight that fact, but she also knew there was more to him than that- that there always had been. "I think she loves you too" Hermione sighed.

"I know" he nodded. "She told me so… but I avoided her after that thinking she'd be better off without me."

"Sometimes we fuck up the simplest things because we think too much" Hermione shrugged and Chrome laughed with surprise at having heard her swear. Seeing his surprise she laughed softly as well.

"We need to get some sleep" she laughed, realizing how overtired they both were currently. She noted the apprehension in his eyes. He didn't want to go to sleep and leave Ginny in the state she was currently in.

"Chrome, you're a Celtic Warrior, but even you need rest. There's nothing you can do for her but be strong on the battlefield when the rest of the army comes. You and I both know today's battle was nothing in comparison with what's coming."

He nodded. He knew she was right and never had he been so tired. He followed her up towards the dorm area and hugged her good night. They went to their separate rooms, neither of them sleeping for a very long time.

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Ron couldn't take it any longer. He hated everyone and everything right now. He half wanted to throw a temper tantrum while the other half longed to pass out into blissful unconsciousness. He pulled away from his mother's sobbing embrace and walked to the window. He stared across the body littered battlefield. He saw workers cleaning up the mess, witnessing it all with detached neutrality. Then he hauled back and punched the pane of glass.

He had once seen Harry punch a cement wall and break a whole block of the cement away in doing so. Ron was not Harry however. When he punched the glass his hand simply rebounded with a soaring amount of pain. He whimpered and clutched his hand to his body. Tears found their way down his cheeks.

"Oh Ron, what did you do?" Ginny cried, falling down to her knees at his side. She looked at his wounded hand. "I think you broke it" she reported, and found that she was laughing. As a matter of fact she was downright hysterical. It was as though she had just found out the entire world was a crazy façade and she was slowly waking from its nightmares to see that she existed in complete darkness. It was maddening.

Ron was kneeled over, his forehead resting on his knee. "Where's Harry?" he asked, his voice in a wild and frightening whisper.

"Ron… he's still off fighting You- Know- Who" Ginny heard herself responding. Around her the walls of existence seemed to be growing thin- she seemed to be going insane.

"I don't think so Ginny… there's no Bill… there's no Harry."

How she got both of them up off of the floor and to the Hospital Wing she could never recall. She seemed to have blacked out through the whole thing, and when she awoke she was in an entirely different part of the castle altogether.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Ron knew where they were going and he followed mutely. Inside the hospital wing he was surrounded by cries of pain, shouts of anguish and an occasional burst of tears. He felt as though he had voluntarily stepped into hell. A medi- wizard healed his hand but he didn't notice. He didn't notice when Ginny left and Cho came. He was merely staring at the sterile white sheet hangings around his bed.

"Ron… don't do this to yourself Ron" Cho pleaded, crying as she took his cold, motionless hand in her own. "Please don't shut me out." He couldn't hear her, he just kept staring away. She watched his frozen features with a broken heart. His eyes looked devoid of all emotion. She could scarcely see his chest rise and fall- the only sign of life within him. His red hair was matted and shabby looking.

She brought his hands up to her mouth and gently kissed the back of them. "I won't leave you Ron" she whispered, her eyes not leaving his unknowing face. She had given up on Harry when she as young and stupid, but she would never abandon Ron the way she abandoned Harry. At the time she had thought the passing of Cedric had taught her what it meant to hurt. She had been wrong. Harry had known since birth what loneliness and loss meant and she hadn't been able to cope with it. She loved Ron, she knew that in her heart. As such she knew she would cope with whatever terrors might come there way. Even if he stopped loving her, she would always be willing him the best in the world, and now she gathered a shaky breath and stopped crying. It was time to be there for Ron.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Ginny came to from what can only be described as a temporary bought of insanity in front of the door going to Chrome's room. She paused with a moment of surprise and panic. How long had she been wandering about, unaware of her surroundings? She didn't know and she suddenly felt a great swell of paranoia gain a choke hold on her. She quickly knocked on his door.

His sleep had just barely set on at 3:10 AM; five minutes before Ginny frantically knocked on his door. Nevertheless, he was quickly to his feet, padding barefooted across the stone floor, throwing a tee shirt on in the process. When he opened the door his hair was messy from restless tossing and turning, and his eyes were puffy with exhaustion. Yet for however bad he looked, she currently looked ten times worse.

She threw herself into his embrace as soon as he came into her view. Unlike previous occasions, he did not hesitate to return her sign of affection. He held her tightly in his arms, noting how stiff and lifeless she felt. She wasn't even crying. They just stood like coldly embracing statues in a doorway for some time, him becoming gradually confused and her like a zombie.

When she finally did speak, Chrome would have preferred to stay confused. Her voice sounded so terrible- scratchy from her hours of crying… lost from her confusion and bewilderment…. And broken from her heartbreaking loss. "Chrome" she began "I couldn't take it any longer! Everyone of my family members look so much like…B-B-him." She finished, unable to bring herself to say his name. "All that pain around me… I can't take it!" She suddenly seemed angry and she pounded her fists blindly against his chest. He didn't try to stop her. She wasn't doing any damage, and he would prefer she take it out on him than on herself. "I can't even stand to see my own reflection…" she wobbled a little and he caught her, drawing her to him once more.

She looked up into his eyes suddenly, with a look so unreadable and mixed in its intentions that it actually frightened him. "You're nothing like any of them Chrome… you can make me forget…."she was suddenly kissing him, but not in the soft, tentative way she had before. This kiss was rough and demanding, as though Ginny herself was detached from the action. She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and pressed against him, not letting up in her persistent attack. Then he grabbed her and pushed her back, gently but adamantly. There were tears in her eyes but he ignored these. Instead he grabbed a hold of her hands and flipped them palm up.

"You didn't get these cuts healed" he breathed, his eyes showing concern.

"I forgot" she muttered, her voice growing angry once more. Yet her hands were trembling as the dirty scrapes sent a pang of pain to her brain. Chrome guided her over to his bed and sat her down there.

"Don't move" he commanded, the look in his deep brown eyes stern. He walked into his small bathroom and found the fresh towels placed in there by the house elves. Wetting them with hot water he proceeded to locate what was left of the disinfectant he had initially brought with him. The scrapes were shallow and thus only really needed a little cleaning out.

When he returned to his room he found Ginny fast asleep on his bed, her face tear streaked and frozen in a look of anguish. He quietly sat beside her and carefully lifted her hand to clean the wound off. She squirmed a bit but did not wake. Once he was done he dumped the materials into the drawer of his bedside table and stood up a moment, simply staring down at her. He sat down, took off her shoes and then stood back up in a single awkward motion. All at once he decided to lift her up (a simple feat for a man with abnormal strength) and tore back the covers, then laying her back down and pulling the covers over her. She seemed to settle down a bit. He laid down beside her, calmly observing her beautiful features. He slowly found sleep overcoming him and eventually they both lay motionless, side by side, submerged into a fitful world of nightmares.

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Hermione awoke to the sound of cheers. At first she thought she was in yet another odd dream, but once she sat up and felt the reality of the world around her she knew it was no dream. From somewhere outdoors, there were cheers sounding.

She got to her feet, still not quite awake. She stood by the window and looked out across the grounds. The bodies were finally gone but the once beautiful lawns were now covered with dirt and ruin, the spring grass torn to pieces by the previous nights' battle. After last night's sorrow's Hermione was almost positive that the sun would never rise again; and yet, as she looked out her window she saw the grey skies melting away as a brilliant slit of orange sprung up along the horizon. She followed its rays of light with her eyes and saw the reason for the cheering.

Over a month ago, Harry, Bill and the rest of their comrades had marched bravely off into the Dark Forest. In the exact spot Harry had stopped to blow her a kiss stood a Hippogriff. On its bag, a single hand raised above his head was The Boy Who Lived.

Never had Hermione moved so quickly in her life. She nearly jumped whole flights of stairs making her way down to the ground level. Barefooted and garbed in her pajamas and the same dirty old robe from the battle she sprinted towards the growing crowd.

All night different troops had worked in shifts to clear the battlefield. The disheartening work was nearly forgotten when a Hippogriff gracefully descended to the battlefield with the first morning rays. It was not so much the Hippogriff that filled them with such sudden hope, but rather the rider on its back. Despite his wounded, pale, bleeding appearance Potter was sitting up straight and tall. He was the greatest symbol of hope they could ever hope to see. And that was when he thrusted a bleeding, wounded hand into the air, displaying the broken remnants of Lord Voldemort's wand.

They cheered like they had never cheered before. Tears of joy and relief spilled down their cheeks, their hearts were lifted by the courage and strength of their young savior. Suddenly the world looked far less dark; suddenly a tremendous burden seemed to be lifted from everyone's futures.

Hermione wasn't the only one waken by the cheers. Others were soon running out to join the commotion. Hugs were exchanged, hoots and hollers of ecstasy filled the air, and some even began to dance about. For the first time in a year, some of the magic and delight that Hogwarts had been home to for so long was restored.

Hermione did not care about any of this however. All she cared about was Harry. It had always been Harry, Harry who she worried about, Harry who she missed and Harry who she loved. She pushed her way through the crowd and soon they were parting for her. As he dismounted from the Hippogriff she could see the pain and illness in his eyes, but those features had been overcome with a far stronger emotion when he saw her. He was suddenly deliriously happy.

She ran to him and throw her arms around him. He was dirty and still slightly damp with blood but she hardly cared. His face was stained with dirt, blood and sweat but she kissed him anyways. She placed little kisses all over his face, showering him with her undying affection. Tears ran down her face, tears of love, joy and relief. He stopped her kisses suddenly and kissed her directly on the mouth, conveying his deep love for her, revealing to them both how close they had come to being parted once more.

The entire growing crowd was watching them but neither noticed. They were deaf to the yells of those present. Harry brought his mouth close to her ear and whispered four words. "I kept my promise."

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Ron couldn't hear the cheers from the hospital wing, and his slumber was so deep that they probably wouldn't have woken him anyways. Nevertheless, the news reached his ears quickly. Not five minutes after Harry had arrived some young resistance member came running into the hospital wing, shouting at the top of her lungs.

"HARRY POTTER'S BACK! HARRY POTTER'S BACK!"

In that moment Ron forgot his grief and his intense feeling of loss and guilt. He forgot his exhaustion and still healing hand. He threw the covers off and leaped to his feet. Cho had fallen asleep at his bedside, and she was suddenly startled into waking.

"What's happening?!" she asked, bewildered and confused. Ron grabbed her hand and yanked her to her feet. He dragged her behind him as they raced down the halls, ignoring Madame Pomfrey's call for them to stop, proclaiming that "RONALD NEEDS HIS REST!"

They ran quite a way without slowing, and arrived to a huge crowd that resembled a gigantic party. Ron was about to cut into the crowd when he felt a hand pull him back. He tossed a quick glance over his shoulder and then stopped seeing that it was Ginny.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking exhausted and confused.

"Harry…" Ron began but then stopped short. He looked behind his sister and realized Chrome was standing there, hand on her shoulder like he owned her. Ron's look of surprise and excitement gave way to a bitter scowl. "Where were you last night Ginny? With Mum and Dad right?"

His eyes searched hers and she looked away a moment, feeling sudden guilt for deserting them, but also acknowledging the tension between Chrome and Ron.

Ron snorted with anger. "I don't have time for this bloody nonsense…" he looked like he had a world more to say, but he spun on his heel to go see Harry. Ginny followed him persistently. Chrome walked away.

Harry saw Ron before Ron saw Harry. He inhaled sharply and Hermione noted how he suddenly became rigid. She grasped his hand in her own. "It's okay Harry" she tried to assure him.

"Harry?" Ron asked, finally finding his best mate. He looked shocked, as if Harry wasn't really there, it was all just a mirage.

"Ron I…." Harry began, but he was cut off by Ron's sudden hug.

"I'm so glad I didn't lose two brothers" Ron suddenly sobbed. "Harry… tell me, how did he die?"

"Heroically" was Harry's automatic answer. "He died defending me to the last. I never would have made it to face Voldemort if it wasn't for the courage of Bill Weasley."

Ron was now full out crying. The suppressed and often angry tears of the previous night gave way to large, doleful tears. Tears of acceptance.

"He wanted me to tell your family that he loves you all" Harry continued. "He died with courage and honor and I don't think he regretted any of his decisions. Not one."

Hermione squeezed Harry's hand tighter. She could see how much pain it was causing him to see Ron in such a state, and how difficult it was for him to come to deliver such powerful sentiments without cracking.

Ron nodded and turned to Cho for comfort, resting in her embrace. Behind them Harry finally noticed Ginny, who was crying in a silent, almost cold manner. Ginny was a fiery Weasley to the core; she would even fight her own emotions. Harry let go of Hermione's hand and walked over to Ginny, gently touching her shoulder. She buried her face against his chest and openly wept for a few short moments. When she stepped back she had already composed herself and gave him a sheepish smile which quickly turned to a frown.

"Harry, you need to get to the hospital wing" she commented.

"That he does" replied a gruff voice from behind her. "It's a good thing one of us got on top of that" continued the somewhat sarcastic speaker. Ginny knew who it was immediately. She had thought he had left because Ron hurt his feelings but she should have known better. It was more than a bit difficult to hurt Chrome Granger's feelings.

He had brought with him a team of medi witches and wizard, who had a levitating stretcher in tow.

"Time to go see the doctor" Chrome said to Harry with a little smirk. "If you're good maybe they'll give you a lollypop."

Harry gave the stretcher a somewhat uncertain look. He didn't want to look so weak, but the truth of the matter was he felt weak. His knees were beginning to wobble a bit and the world was dimming. As much as he didn't want to be carried off, he also didn't want to pass out on the ground. Hermione urged him forward and he climbed onto the surprisingly comfortable device with the help of the medical team.

Almost in the form of a mini procession Harry was levitated through the crowd, three medics on either side of him life guards. Behind him walked Ron and Hermione, and behind them came Chrome Ginny and Cho. A hush fell over the crowd as they passed, and as Harry slipped into unconsciousness he had the strong feeling that everything was as it should be.

((WE'RE ALMOST TO THE END!!! REVIEW!!!!!! Next chapter I will reply to all those reviews I am truly thankful for. For now, I just want to get this chapter up!))


	17. Vanishing into the Clouds

((Well, here's the very end everyone. It's been a great journey, a long journey, but most of all, a fun journey. Thank you all for your support, I hope the conclusion to it all is worthy.))

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Savior

Dusting off your savior

You were always my favorite

Always my man- All in a hand

To celebrate you is greater

Now that I can- Always my man

Now you see what I came for

No one here is to blame for

Misunderstood- All in a hand

-Red Hot Chili Peppers

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After a week Harry was mostly healed, and the moral of the entire operation was mostly healed as well. Which was very good, because according to the calculations of the American General Flynn the enemy would be arriving at any moment.

They had strengthened their position once more to ward off the enemy in this final battle. Voldemort was dead, but his oncoming army of supporters did not know that, and the Order refused to be "caught with its pants down" so to speak, as it had in the previous battle. They had been victorious, but only by the skin of their teeth, and everyone in the Order had the strong feeling that the enemy had somehow held back.

They had discussed all these things and now the Order sat motionless in its dark meeting chamber. Dumbledore stood to conclude the meeting, and everyone watched him with great attention. To their surprise, the wonderful man was crying. Harry looked into those twinkling blue eyes and saw love, pride, sorrow, but greatest of all: HOPE.

He felt Hermione's hand grasp his and he gave it a comforting squeeze. Everyone had the same thought in mind: this is it.

"My dear, cherished friends" Dumbledore began. "I have lived through three very dark times in my life; three eras of sorrow I have come to think of them as. This is the third dark phase, and one that I feel will very soon come to an end. Yet just as the light shall always prevail in some form, darkness cannot be cut out from our lives. Can we forget the faces that once filled those empty chairs around us? Can we ignore such losses as those of Sirius Black, Fleur Delacour, and Bill Weasley?

"No, we cannot forget their sacrifice, their dedication. More importantly, we cannot forget their valor, courage, honor and glory. We cannot forget why we have shed so many tears, bled so terribly and scarred our memories with terrible horrors. We cannot forget what the dead have accomplished, and we cannot forget what we've accomplished!

"Someday witches and wizards all over the world will revel in our tale, a tale of knights and sorcerers, a tragedy of heroes but a victory of mankind! They will liken the Order of the Phoenix to the Knights of the Round Table, we will be the new King Arthurs within every childhood fantasy, the Great Merlyns of the text books. This great army we have brought together will forever remain immortal in the memory of its loyalty and strength.

"When we prevail, no longer will all of Europe remain captured by an unknown darkness; and the rest of the world may rest assured that we have looked hatred in the face and defeated it! We shall secure not only our own future, but the future of countless generations to come!

"Soon, we shall face the enemy once and for all, and I could not be prouder nor more confident in every one of you. In our internal struggles we have traveled from the darkest depth of the ocean to the highest peak of the mountains and we have prevailed through it all!"

Dumbledore paused for a moment, his face strewn with tears but his eyes speaking of a great destiny, a destiny that they had nearly forgotten, a destiny that drove them all forward. He looked into the eyes of every one of his loyal Order members.

"You have faced hate but learned of love. You experienced death but conquered fear. You mourned but never looked backwards. You killed but never lost your spirit. You went from innocence to dark wisdom. We will win this war. They will outnumber us greatly, but we will crush them!"

Dumbledore was now breathing hard, his eyes alight with certainty and a certain excitement that was rapidly growing contagious. He held his arms up above his head and a sudden outburst caught them all by surprise. It came from Remus Lupin, the last of the true Marauders.

"For Lilly, James, and Sirius!" He shouted, jumping to his feet, his typically tired eyes wild with excitement.

"For my parents and my God father!" Harry yelled, joining him in standing, his face unreadable but resolved in its features.

"For my brother!" Ron added, standing as well, his actions soon echoed by his siblings.

"For my Son!" Mr. Weasley added, him and his wife standing.

Soon everyone was adding something of their own in a loud voice. "For my future children!" yelled one, and "for every Muggle and Muggle born victim!" was Hermione's decree. "Restore my honor" Chrome added in a quiet voice that few heard; he knew that it was an almost selfish endeavor, yet it was more complicated than that.

In a roar of noise they were all standing, their spirits soaring at the implications of it all. They could win this war, and somehow, they knew that they would win this war.

For even the faintest star could guide them, and now they had millions of stars driving them forward.

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"Remember when we used to fear? When we used to cry for our inevitable fates? When we used to mourn our untimely deaths, deaths that had not yet come to pass?" Hermione pondered these things as they left the Order hall for what they all knew to be their last meeting.

It was Harry who had led them out, and as always, they followed. His stride was wide and full of strength and vigor. His face was unreadable, but Hermione detected a flicker of energy burning in their depths. He had an idea and they all waited on bated breath to see what he was about to do.

He walked to the Great Hall where the troops were gathered for dinner. He shoved the doors open in an effortless manner and the massive doors swung freely on their hinges, slamming into the walls with a powerful echo that caught the attention of all. Then he came to a halt, the center of attention.

He raised his hands as if to silence the already silent. On either side of his stood Ron and Hermione, the trio that had captured the hearts of all. And then he simply smiled. A pure, simple, honest smile. A smile that was rarely present and almost always saved for Hermione or Ron.

He cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed "WE CAN WIN! WE CAN WIN! AND WE SHALL WIN!"

The entire hall went insane. Never had Hermione felt so swept up by the mood of those around her. It was like the Quidditch World Cup but even more passionate in its joy. It was as if an instant party had exploded.

They were swamped by people, but Hermione found she didn't mind. They had faced death and destruction as one, and now they reveled in their shared hope as one. She was hugged by people she didn't recognized, shook hands with countless others. A few even kissed her on the cheeks as if she was a cherished Goddess to them.

She didn't try to navigate through the crowd, she simply cheered along with them. They all knew that many would die, and that they may not live to see many more sun rises, but they oppressed that fear and chose hope instead. Mourning would come later, and so would the feeling of ultimate loss, coupled with the ever increasing mental scars. They would celebrate now, because even if they did win, there would be no celebrating later.

Hermione shook hands with a young wizard, hugged a middle aged medi- witch and then, was suddenly kissed full out on the mouth.

She backed away in surprise when she suddenly realized it was Harry and she laughed jumping up into his arms and kissing him again as he spun her around in his arms.

"I thought you were my other boyfriend" she explained when they came apart, still clinging together as the moving crowd pushed around them.

"Sorry to disappoint you Miss Granger" he replied, and the playfulness in his tone amazed her. Could he still be a normal boy in some part? Had he managed to retain more of his humanity than he showed? She thought so, almost knew so and laughed, kissing him again.

In the back of her mind she worried that fate was only playing with them, and that she would lose him yet.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Chrome had leapt upon one of the tables and joined those dancing for a few quick moments. He hadn't danced in years, but he was supposedly the smoothest around when it came to dancing at clubs. Of course, that was when he was only 16 or so, and once he was hardened by crime the desire to be smooth left him. Now he danced purely from joy. He felt as if an incredible burden had been relieved of him, as though his sins were somehow closer to being forgiven.

He leapt back to the floor where he was quickly hugged by a young female soldier whom he did not know. "This lovey, happy, touchy, feely things is becoming contagious" he mused, as a stout balding fellow gave him a friendly slap on the back.

He passed off a few high fives before he was hugged again, this time by a pretty blonde witch with clear blue eyes. The type he used to hook up with all the time in his past life. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body tightly against his. She smelt of a lovely perfume fragrance, though it was a bit phony.

"Thank you for all you Order members have done" she spoke in his ear, not releasing her hold. She moved back a little but was still very close to him. "It takes strength and courage like yours to keep us all going." She moved her hand to his arm muscle and gave it a quick squeeze, "and dear me, you do have plenty of strength."

Suddenly she was removed from her position in a quick, almost violent manner. And then he felt lips upon his own and a warm hand against his neck. He knew who it was right away and chuckled a bit when she moved away, her eyes fiery but a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny, whatever will I do with you?"

"Arg, she was all over you" she said with distaste.

"Thanks for saving me" he smirked back at her.

"Well, I figured I owed you a few saves" she replied with a happy smile. "Besides, I want to keep this relationship exclusive- by that I mean just the two of us." There was a little concern in her voice that she tried to mask as teasing.

"Ginny I will always, always be exclusive to you and you alone."

Her eyes lit up and she took his hand in her own. "Promise?" she asked.

"Yes, that's a promise" he nodded. "Granger honor" he added, and they both laughed.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Ron didn't miss seeing them together. He didn't miss the possessive kiss Ginny had given him, nor the way she grasped his hand in her own. Yet, at the same time, he did not miss seeing the content look on her face, nor the love they conveyed for each other with their eyes.

He had suspected Chrome loved Ginny long before either had come to accept those feelings themselves. Yet he had immediately gotten it into his head that he should try his best to disintegrate any such feelings between the two of them. Were his emotions on the subject really so unjust? Hermione had told him on countless occasions how Chrome had been getting into trouble since his youth, and that he had thrown her father into a great depression with his antics. It wasn't really hard for his imagination to place that same careless, arrogant, dangerous character into a relationship with his sister and draw the conclusion that she would get badly hurt.

Yet now as he watched them he came to accept several crucial facts. Chrome was no longer the child he used to be; none of them were. He had matured, and if anything he reminded Ron of the ultimate criminal trying to right his wrongs. Chrome had saved Ginny's life twice now, and as he watched the two of them together he realized that Chrome would continue to do save her from any perils all his life if he could. Ron had stumbled across an even greater realization in the process, one far more difficult to grasp.

Ginny could take care of herself. Though she was his little sister and he had been forever trying to look after her, and would forever continue to do so. Yet she had grown and matured herself, and she was a very strong person as a result. She had self assured, confident air about her… and a certain carelessness for rules and social pressures that matched Chrome's.

As he accepted this all he realized what needed to be done. He pushed his way through the crowd to them and was met by a nervous look from Ginny.

"Ron, please don't do this now" she begged, her eyes quickly turning from happy to upset. "I know you have a million reasons to pick a fight over this whole thing, but the fact is that I'm with Chrome, and there's nothing you can do or say to change that. So please, at least pretend…"

Ron cut her off with a laugh. "Ginny, shut up before you embarrass yourself" he teased. "That isn't what I came here to say. I came here to say…" he sucked in a deep breath "that I know I've been an ass, and that maybe I should let you make your own decisions. I guess you've both taken your fair share of distrust, and for that I apologize." He looked straight into Chrome's mischievous brown eyes and held that gaze for a moment. "I swear though, if you hurt her, I'll damage you beyond recognition…" he paused "or at least, I'll get Harry to damage you beyond recognition."

They both laughed at his sudden weakness in what was meant to be a threatening moment, and Ron gave Chrome a friendly slap on the arm. Ginny quickly hugged her brother, gathering him tightly to her and whispering "thank you" in the process. They exchanged a knowing look and then Ron set out to find Cho.

He found her talking to Charlie who looked weak with grief, but who had a grin on his face nevertheless. Ron walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Talking with my beautiful girlfriend Charles?" Ron asked, a jovial glint in his eyes.

"Well, I was just wondering why she dates such a goof like you" Charlie countered with a wink. "I mean, she's got it all; looks, money, brains and Quidditch talent."

"I just have a soft spot for heroic red heads with a good sense of humor and a passion for Wizards Chess I suppose" Cho replied, jumping into the conversation with a laugh. They all joined in with her laughter and Charlie excused himself, giving them both a quick hug.

Soon Harry and Hemione came over and Harry gave Cho a slightly unsure glance which didn't go unnoticed.

"Don't worry Harry" she told him with a pleasant smile. "I'm not going to suddenly kiss you again, this isn't fifth year."

He shrugged and laughed, realizing how odd he was acting and gave her a brief hug.

"Well, at least not in front of Ron and Hermione" she continued with a wink. They all burst out laughing and she kissed Ron on the cheek to reassure him that she was only joking, knowing how silly he could be with his jealousy. But he showed no signs of concern, and it warmed her heart to know he loved and trusted her enough not to take her feelings for him lightly.

"Let's get away from this crowd" Cho whispered in Ron's ear, and he smiled, the tips of his ears turning red in the process. He nodded and then sought a departing hug from Hermione.

He held her tightly in his arms for a moment, recalling every event they had experienced together. He felt her return the embrace with equal fervor and he kissed her cheek and then her mouth; a quick, chaste, brotherly kiss. Holding one another's gaze her smiled, saying, "the end is in sight. We've made it all this way."

"Through heartbreak and glory alike" she agreed, and promised she wouldn't let herself cry.

"I can't wait until you're a successful medi-witch and I'm a pro Quidditch player, and this is all a distant memory. Remember how we used to say that?" Ron asked, and she nodded. "Take care of yourself Hermione. I won't be able to live without your know- it- all logic. And watch out for ol' Harry too. We both know he's a bit of a baby, truth be told"

They both laughed at this little tease, and then Hermione kissed his cheek. "You take care too Ron. I won't be able to live without your ridiculous behavior. You've kept me sane all these years by making me insane."

With one last quick hug they stepped apart, both of their hearts suddenly a little heavier with the feeling that time was running short, and that the next time they saw each other might be on the battlefield. It was an inexplicable awareness that everyone was partaking in.

Tomorrow they would face their enemy in the final battle; a winner takes all fight to completion.

Ron moved on to Harry, hugging him as tightly as he hugged Hermione. This was The Boy Who Lived, the one who had his best friend since that legendary first ride on the Hogwarts Express. Harry was the reason Ron had experienced such an abnormal childhood, and the reason he had been able to survive so long as a result. He had lost Harry once, and he couldn't stand the thought of losing him again.

Harry returned the hug, a slew of emotions rushing through him. Ron was his best and most loyal friend, a man who would follow him down to hell if need be. Ron had shown him the meaning of friendship, had welcomed him into an entirely new world, and it was Ron whom he envisioned as being the buddy he would grow old. There were few things that were certain in life, but Ron's love and friendship was one of them.

There were no words shared as they came apart, just a look of understanding exchanged through their eyes, and then they went their separate ways.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Savior

A butterfly that flaps its wings

Affecting almost everything

The more I hear the orchestra

The more I have something to bring

And now I see you in a beautiful

And different light

He's just a man and any damage done

Will be all right

Call out my name

Call and I came

-Red Hot Chili Peppers

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

He walked along the corridors. Hermione had gone to speak with McGonagall and he excused himself; he had something in mind that needed to be done.

Five years he had spent in Hogwarts; he had run away before his final two to receive training for his future, he had sacrificed being in one of the only places he was happy to save the world. Now he wandered those abandoned dusty old corridors remembering the years he had spent there, good and bad moments alike.

He walked down to Hagrid's hut first, gazing happily at the little ground keeper's home where they had been introduced to baby Norbert and where so many other things had taken place. He walked along the Great Lake and remembered swimming to the bottom to save Ron. He passed the Quidditch pitch where he had played many a happy game. He hadn't played Quidditch in years now that he thought about it, and that made him rather sad.

Harry had entered the school, and now that was where he continued to wander, climbing the moving steps, entering the Room of Requirement where he had experienced his first kiss…. "no, that's not right" he mused "Hermione had kissed me before that, on the cheek…" he was glad for that, because while he knew Cho wasn't so bad, it was nice to think that perhaps Hermione had even loved him a little back then. Of course, Hermione would have corrected him and said she DID love him, and more than a little, even back in those days, but right now Hermione wasn't present. Harry was alone with his thoughts, the thoughts of a lonely, tortured, orphan.

Harry glanced into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom where they had been through various teachers, wonderful and terrible alike. His emotions over seeing such a room were deeply conflicting.

Harry went to where Fluffy had stood in first year, and then he even went to visit Moaning Myrtle, and stood at the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

That was when Hermione found him. He was standing with her back to her, almost as if he hadn't heard the door open. His broad shoulders created a powerful silhouette in the dim light. Somewhere Moaning Myrtle was singing "Weasley is our King".

"Remember when we brewed the Polyjuice Potion here in second year?" she suddenly asked, walking up behind him, carefully studying her surroundings.

"Yes" Harry smiled, watching her glance about at the memories. "It seems so long ago."

"It isn't a terribly fond memory for me" she admitted, frowning a bit with distaste. "After all, I did become rather… cat like as a result. Not my most brilliant moment."

"That was an easy mistake" Harry laughed, taking her hand in his.

"A horrible one though" she chuckled. Suddenly her expression grew serious as something dawned on her. "This is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets isn't it?"

Harry nodded, his face stern while doing so.

"I never saw it… I was petrified" she recalled, searching for the snake symbol.

"Well, that's probably a good thing" he quickly replied. "Not that you were petrified; I meant… it was probably a good thing that you never went down there."

She caught his eyes with her own, trying to read his emotions. "Was it really horrible Harry?"

"Well…" he paused and gave a little shrug. "It wasn't the sort of thing you want to experience so young… the Basalisk is a terrible creature, and Ginny almost died that night."

She rested her head on his arm and they both stared at that shabby, motionless sink as if it held the secrets of the universe.

"It wasn't the worst thing ever though" he commented, suddenly growing distant. "It wasn't like the first time I had to kill, or the time I saw Cedric die, or the time I watched Sirius fall through that veil… it wasn't as bad as having to leave Hogwarts before my 16th birthday, abandon my friends without so much as a good bye. It wasn't as bad as dying. It wasn't as bad as seeing the fear and pain in your eyes when I came back and you didn't know who I was." He took in a deep breath. "It wasn't as bad as killing Voldemort."

This took Hermione by surprise. She would have thought killing such a terrible man would have been a relief, a deep victory, a conclusion to the sorrow of his life. He saw the surprise in her features he smiled softly. It reminded her of the way Sirius smiled after escaping Azkaban; as if happiness itself was a reminder of all the pain and hurt in his life.

"I was more stunned than anything when it happened… what with my injuries and all. There was a sense of completion, of satisfaction, but also of terror. I've killed him Hermione, I sought and found my great revenge and yet somehow it troubled me deeply. To feel it all ending is so powerful it's almost terrible. I never truly felt I'd survive this long, and now I'm not sure what I'll do after this war has ended; if we're all still alive. Can I return to a normal life? Could I ever get a job, be a husband, a father, a member of any community?"

He sighed and she was amazed by his insecurities. She grabbed his hands in hers and squeezed them tight. She put her head against his shoulder and whispered, "I don't know what the future holds Harry. I DO know that I love you, and that we will find a way. You deserve happiness more than anyone, and I would die to grant you that."

"You dead does me no good" he muttered in a teasing voice, and she smiled at him. He winked "enough suffering already eh? Let's just let this whole nightmare end. Any future we'll have together must be better than this present."

"Absolutely" she grinned, kissing him. She took his hand in hers, feeling the scar along the palm. She remembered him telling her how the Disc of Immortality had been ripped from his hands… it was almost symbolic the way the he had been wounded trying to hang onto a symbol of everlasting life. Together they walked down the hall with no particular destination in mind, just eating up those final hours leading up to the final battle.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

An hour later they grew tired of wandering and reminiscing and after another hour it was just past midnight as they lay in bed, Hermione's head on Harry's chest, feeling its steady rise and fall, hearing his strong heart pound. She rested one arm across his abdomen and watched the ring he had given her glitter on her finger in the faint light of the moon and stars outside.

"Will you be healthy enough to fight?" she asked, her voice low and calm but mixed with concern.

He stared up at the ceiling, reveling in the feeling of her against him. It had been too long in those woods, surrounded by evil and sleepless nights- the feeling of a real bed, and especially the feeling and scent of Hermione gave him a serene, blissful feeling. He gently stroked her hair in an almost detached manner, his mind not coinciding with his actions. "I'll be fine" he finally responded with a slight smile. "You worry to much."

"I can't help it" she argued. "I can't help but care about the ones I love."

"I know. You're a wonderful witch Hermione. So strong, brave and intelligent yet so caring and compassionate. You make up for where I fall short."

"You never fall short Harry" she breathed, now shifting so she was above him, looking down into his eyes. "You never have, and you never will."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

When they fell asleep it was a light but peaceful rest. Even the thought of death could not deter them from their last moments of happiness together.

At 4:30 AM the alarms sounded, waking everyone in the castle. Great drops of water could be heard smashing against the window as they stood up and dressed, preparing to battle in a stern and silent manner. A storm was brewing, and the final battle had begun.

Together they walked shoulder to shoulder down the hallway. Somewhere in their hearts they always knew this would be how they would stand when the final moments arrived. Thus it was no surprised when Ron jogged over to join them, his hair messy, his clothing in disarray. Fate had always held that The Trio, The Dream Team, The Unforgettable Three- would fight together to the end. Hermione briefly found their hands as they walked and linked hands with them as they walked together, headed for the battlefield. She gave both boys' hands a quick squeeze before letting go.

As they stepped out into the pouring rain they drew wands in unison. In the distance the pounding of marching feet reached their ears. They looked across the battle torn, muddy field and saw the enemy. A massive force, one greater than any of them had ever witnessed. Mountain Trolls stood at various intervals on the front line, growling and snarling angrily, beating their chests with their clubs. A scream from overhead drew their attention and they knew that the dragons had come. Hovering above the enemy, the Dementors prepared to join the evil side in its quest for domination. Harry vaguely wondered if they even knew Voldemort was dead.

The first attack came from the enemy side. The dragons had let lose their fire upon the defenseless Light Army. It was only then that Charlie Weasley and his team of dragon riders let loose from behind the castle. The dragons met in the sky with a powerful sound of inhumane screams, tearing and snarling. Taking this as a cue, Harry ran out before the lines of his comrades. They stood up from the ditches in which they stood upon seeing him.

"SHOW NO MERCY!" He proclaimed. The water dripped down his raven locks of hair and across his handsome, stern features. "LET THEM KNOW OF TRUE COURAGE, OF TRUE STRENGTH! TODAY- MAKE THEM PAY!" He was breathing heavily as his black dragon hide jacket hung heavily from his broad shoulders and his black shirt clung to him, soaked with the down pouring rain. They cheered with great vigor, their spirits raised once more. Hermione smiled softly to herself. Harry had gone from depressed recluse to poster boy for the light side. She knew it wasn't truly in his nature- but he had decided long ago to sacrifice his pride and personal standards for the good of all. She loved him all the more for it, but hoped for his sake he would find his true character if he survived the war. He had a point- returning to normalcy would be hard- but especially or him. He had sacrificed all of his being to this one cause; trying to decide who he was besides leader, hero and soldier would be an arduous journey. But then, his whole life was about arduous journeys.

Harry joined them in the trenches once more, crouched low between Ron and Hermione. She could feel soaked leg against her own, his muscles tense- as if ready to pounce.

"Harry, you know that Muggle Game where you have to hit the moles on the head with a hammer?" Ron asked, his tone amused.

"No…" Harry replied, confused but amused as well. He hadn't exactly spent a lot of time at arcades as a boy.

"Ah, well… Cho and I played it about a year ago, right after graduation. The moles pop up and you have to try to smash them over the head with a hammer to make them go back down again. I was particularly good…"

"Ron does this story have a point?" Hermione snapped, causing both the boys to smile at her with an old familiarity.

"Well, it did" Ron admitted. "But now I've forgotten."

They all grinned a little despite the seriousness of the situation. Good ol' Ron would always be good ol' Ron. In the distance an enemy dragon crashed to the ground in a roar of flames, it's rider leaping form its back, arms spinning as he burst into flame as well.

Hermione's hands began to shake as she saw how close the enemy was getting. Harry looked at her and leaned over to her ear, softly whispering "It'll all be fine." He was so close she wanted to kiss him senseless, grab him and run away. Of course, it was just fear messing with her sensibility.

Ron had grown pale, he could hear the blood pounding in his ear. He remembered something Cho had told him last night as they sat by the window together, watching the clouds gather.

"Ron" she'd said, "I know what a toll this war has taken on you. We all see it in your features; the bags under your eyes, the concern and pain that stirs within those eyes. I see the way you toss and turn at night. You call out to Bill, you call out to Harry… you worry deeply for every member of your family as well. I've heard you weep my name in your nightmares and it scares me. But still, there's always one comfort. You can be brave despite it all. This 'shell shock' they call it, the phantoms in your head that haunt in waking and sleeping- you've managed to outlast them all."

She had been right of course. Now Ron gathered that famed Gryffindor courage and focused on what would need to be done. They would need to do a lot of killing today. There was no time for arrests, stunning spells or chasing games. They would have to aim to kill and aim to maim. It was dirty work that made him almost piss his pants just considering. He saw the same fear and innocence in Hermione's eyes, but not Harry's. Harry was in fact, a repeat murderer at this point in his life. They had all killed, but not in the face to face, deliberate way. Not with the cold hearted intentions they would need today.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Ron was preparing to attack the approaching enemy lines when his focus was interrupted by a hand grabbing his shoulder. He turned around to see a flustered looking Maddox Greene standing behind him. The young, spiky haired American was out of breath but looked otherwise healthy. He had suffered a severe concussion in the skirmish that had resulted in Bill Weasley's death, but the healers had quickly healed it and a few days later he was released from their custody with little more than a thin white scar along his hairline.

"Ron, General Flynn told me to come get you" he pulled Ron down into the crouching position as a spell whizzed over their heads. "They have a squad of air born Death Eaters flying in on broom. If we don't do something they'll destroy us from their overhead position. The dragons might get some of them..."

"But not nearly enough" Ron finished, quickly understanding how drastic this was. How could he have miscalculated such a drastic element in this crucial battle? It was like putting the queen diagonal from a pawn... dumb and embarrassing.

"Flynn suggested you lead a flying squad... word is you played a little Quidditch back in your day" Maddox continued.

"Yes, I did" Ron muttered. It would be difficult to lead an untrained group into an aerial attack, but on the other hand, they certainly had enough good fliers that it might be possible. Ron had a glazed look over his eyes for a moment. "I think I might be able to do it, but we need just the right team. Cho is the seeker for Puddlemere United" he began with a proud smile. "We'll need her... and also Oliver Wood. Viktor Krum of course, he seems to be in full health these days (Ron still didn't like Krum very much), also... the Twins were great Beaters when they went to school here. Ginny was a pretty decent seeker too. They'll need Harry on the battlefield so we can't use him..."

"Not to brag, but back in the states I played a pretty mean game of Quodpot" Maddox interrupted.

"What in the bloody hell is Quodpot?" Ron sputtered.

"Uh... kinda like the American version of Quidditch" Maddox explain as a blast of light threw some soil over them.

"Alright good... that'll give us eight. I'd like an even ten though." Ron looked around.

"There's a Canadian pal of mine here who flies pretty good, and one of the french ladies used to play chaser for the French International Quidditch Team."

"Good" Ron mumbled looking up at the sky. He saw dragons circling about, letting out occasional explosions of flame from their fanged jaws. "This might really suck."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The enemy had reached a certain point when Neville's plants came to life. Neville whopped and hollered when he saw his hard work paying off. He remembered how Ron thought he was joking when he suggested using certain plants against the enemy by dispersing some of the magic world's more dangerous forms of vegetation about the battlefield. Everyone in the Light Army knew where the different plants were (amongst which included Devil's Snare, Snapspike Bushes and a few small versions of the Whomping Willow), but the enemy was clueless, either thinking they were regular plants or else just not seeing them at all. It certainly gave the light side an advantage, and it was especially apparent as the various plants thrashed about suddenly, slinging mud and water in every which direction. The scene quickly turned gory before their eyes and Neville went very pale.

He suddenly felt as though he understood Harry better than ever. "Is all this my fault?" he pondered as the screams of his enemies reached his ears and their blood began to spread on the flooding field of mud under their feet. He felt himself trembling as the image burned its way into the back of his mind. "I'm a slaughterer of men... there is no forgiveness for this sort of thing. My parents, they don't know the sins I have committed!" He suddenly realized he was crying though it was nearly impossible to tell with all the water streaming down his face. He looked about for Harry, his eyes losing their ability to see. It was as though his body was shutting itself down.

He spotted the savior of the wizarding world crouched in the next trench over, his eyes calm and calculating. There was a steely coldness in them that suggested he was accustom with death, and Neville wondered if there wasn't some gladness there as well. "I bet he's thinking this is a good thing. I bet he's proud of my murdering traps... oh, how will I ever survive this?" He couldn't stand to think of Harry being so cold blooded, and couldn't possibly imagine himself doing the same. A low moan of agony drifted from his mouth. Now all he could see before his eyes was blood. He was losing his mind. His eyes rolled back in his head as he passed out.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Ron found Ginny last of the flying team. She was observing the plants on the field be lit on fire by the enemy with wide eyes, bracing herself for the next ambush of attackers. Chrome was over to the left of her, leaned casually against the muddy wall of the trench (which now resembled more of a pool than a trench), reloading his gun with an expert snap of metal and flick of his wrist.

Ron leapt into the trench, the water came up above his ankles. He could feel the mud sucking at the bottom of his boots as he crouched next to Ginny. He explained the situation to her and she nodded with immediate understanding. Chrome wasn't paying any attention to either of them, and he jumped over the trench edge and onto the field to get a few clear shot before doubling back. As he slid back down a spell caught his upper arm and a spray of blood burst into the rainy air. He let out a brief shout before muffling it, and Ginny ran over to him, forgetting about Ron.

Chrome saw Ginny rushing over to his side and he quickly got up to his feet, clamping his hand over the wound. "It's fine" he shouted at her, the blood oozing from the cracks of his fingers as he attempted to hide it from her. "Go with Ron" he commanded, his face stearn.

"I can't... what happened?" she tried to reach out to him but he backed away.

"It's a flesh wound, I'm not going to die" he assured her, still seeing traces of Bill's demise on her face. He feared for her, he didn't want her up there flying on a "frigging mop" in the rain, but he wouldn't show it. The cause needed her, and it wasn't his place to intercede. "Go fly Ginny" he begged her.

"How did you know?" she asked. "I mean... how did you hear?"

He gave her the same old, cocky grin she had first been attracted to. "I'm a Celtic Warrior love. Remember?"

She would have blushed if they weren't in the middle of a war, but instead she smirked at his briefly and headed back to Ron. "Screw you!"she said in a good natured manner, and he sent a sad smile at her back, briefly wondering if he'd see her again.

Once they had walked off he unclamped his hand to survey the damage on his arm. The gash with fairly deep, but it hadn't severed the muscle or affected the bone. He was glad for that, but the bleeding was bad and he knew it would need to be stopped.

He fell down onto his knees and stomach, crawling across the trench floor, gun holstered safely by his side. He remembered a fight he had been in a few years ago. A fight that had gotten him into jail. That night was disastrous- the only fight he had ever lost. Yet now that he thought back on it the result had been incredible. Jail was a horrible place, a place he wouldn't talk about to anybody. It hadn't scarred him, but it wasn't pleasant either and he disliked the memory of it. Despite the bad memories he now knew that it was a crucial turning point in his life.

An explosion of rubble showered down on him and he covered his head, the motion sending a sudden sweep of pain through his arm. He coughed hard, and remembered the night he was arrested...

Many gangs dealt with drugs as a way to gain power, money and rule the streets. Chrome had been introduced to something far more profitable as a boy, by a strange eccentric who went by the name of Albus Dumbledore. The self proclaimed wizard had seen potential in Chrome's abilities, and had turned them away from their potential turn to evil.

Chrome didn't care if what he was doing was good or bad, all he knew was that it was risky and he made a lot of money off of it. Muggle police presumed he was involved in stealing drugs, but it wasn't drugs that Chrome and his boys were always after. It was Class A Non- Tradable Items from the wizarding world. Chrome only told his gang members that they were weapons, he left out the whole sorcery bit.

The fascinating thing about the shipment of such items into Knockturn Alley is that they always spent some time in one warehouse or another, typically in Dublin, and always under the protection of muggles. For years this had frustrated Ministry officials who were unable to attack the muggle warehouses due to protection laws. Thus the illegal items always slipped through their grasp. When Chrome Granger came onto the scene, they were willing to pay him a lot of money to intercept those shipments and place them in ministry custody.

Naturally, the whole thing was very "hush hush".

Every plan he made for his gang was more dangerous than the last, yet they always made it out. It had become like a game, and their ability to win made them the most feared gang in Dublin, by police and criminals alike. Chrome wasn't even twenty yet and he was already on numerous "Most Wanted" lists. He took some pride in this, but mostly he wanted to do more, prove more.

The night Chrome was arrested they were intercepting the largest shipment of dark objects yet. This shipment was kept in a massive corporation building- such expensive things would not be left in any warehouse.

Entering had required multiple skills, everything from a massive system failure from a hacker to a raid that was so deadly and accurate none of the guards were left standing to talk about it. For years to come Muggle police officers would marvel at what had transpired.

Now that Chrome looked back he was able to feel some remorse. He had swept everyone who came in his way down without a second thought. He had destroyed many lives like that, and some in a far crueler manner. Yet at the time, he hardly cared. He was on a quest, he was in his element. Unfortunately, someone had tipped the police off.

Sirens wailed in the streets below, and he knew they were trapped. The security systems were back up, and they would detect whatever floor they attempted to flee to. He remembered the fear on the face of his mates. They knew they were about to be caught- that this was the end of the line. They paced about, cursing and trying to pick fights with each other. Any minute the police would burst into the building, race up the stairs and find them.

He had made an executive decision that night, one that would ultimately change his destiny. Arming himself the best he could, he ran down the stairs alone, setting off the alarms on the way, drawing the attention off his boys, who were able to jump from the window of one building into the next undetected.

He remembered running down those stairs, knowing he was alone, knowing it was the end. When he faced the police he quickly disarmed, not wanting to be shot. Yet the police ignored this and shot at him anyhow. He remembered the feeling of helplessness as he tried to scramble for cover when they opened fire on him.

Now he felt the same way, crawling on his stomach, battle raging about him. Yet this time there was more pride and glory involved. The blood on his arm hardly mattered, and death didn't faze him. He merely pressed forward, remembering how terrible his arrest had seemed at the time, but how important he now viewed it as. Life truly had its funny twists and turns.

'''''''''''''''''''

The first time Ron attempted to push off the ground into the air and wind blew him back down immediately. The rain was driving vertically into his face so hard that it actually stung. He shook as his wet robes clung to his thin, fragile figure.

He clenched his teeth and gathered all of his strength to push off again. This time he was successful and he swooped up into the air, his comrades following him, the wind ripping at them as they rose further and further from the ground. Eventually they were so high into the sky that they could no longer see the battle beneath them- they were completely surrounded by grey fog and clouds.

They formed a line, floating midair, the only sound around them the sound of their labored breaths and the patter of rain against their soggy bodies. Ron felt like he was in purgatory, a land where there was only an infinity of grey. Only here he wasn't alone. Here he had Cho, Ginny and the twins. He would do anything to keep them here, even if it was the land of damp nothingness.

There was a stirring in the mist, a shifting in the grey wall before their eyes, followed by wide set of wings. Out from the mysterious unknown flew a massive dragon, it's eyes blazing red, a black masked rider on its back. It took a huge breath in, so loud and massive it seemed to pull them forward a bit. The red eyes widened.

"DOWNWARDS!" Ron screamed, pulling his broom around ninety degrees. He flew down towards the ground, the rest of his fellow fliers directly behind him. He did a barrel roll and came out parallel with the ground twenty feet up. There he hovered, his team regaining formation. He looked up overhead as Charlie brought his dragon towards the enemy. It ripped at the enemy dragons neck, and Ron knew his brother had just saved them all.

He ripped a pair of ominoculars from his belt and put them up to his dripping face. He zoomed far into the distance to find the enemy fliers. He spotted them assuming a v-formation in the clouds above. He returned the ominoculars and waved his team forward. Leaning into the front of his broom he pressed himself flat to the handle and pushed it for everything it had.

Everyone flew beautifully, and suddenly years of playing Quidditch meant something. Suddenly their talent at riding high speeds without slipping in the rain meant the difference between life and death. Suddenly they were more than athletes, they were saviors flying into the sky like angels. Maddox let out a high pitched "yee haw!" from the back of the formation and there were mixed screams of adrenaline as they unsheathed their wands and clashed with the enemy.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Harry stunned one Death Eater and caught the other under the chin with his fist. The hooded felon made a choking sound as his hood flipped back and he coughed blood, crumpling to the ground. Harry felt his power racing through him. The Dark Lord was dead, and it was time to end his battle. He would make every one of them pay for the suffering they had inflicted, and in the end he would be their undertaker, spitting on their corpses. The gruesome notion gave him an intense surge of adrenaline, and he his next spell hit so hard it sent the unfortunate fool spiraling into those marching behind him, the impact of the bodies causing five to fall with several loud snaps of broken bones. Neither screams nor blood nor death could move him to stop from achieving his ends.

Suddenly a cold zephyr hit the back of his neck and his breathing stopped. He turned as if he was in slow motion and saw the last thing he wanted to see. Dementors.

He heard his mother screaming in his head, and then an image of Cedric dying flash before his eyes. "Kill the spare" he heard, and then he saw Sirius fall through the curtain. A slur of terrible images caused him to stagger, and then he heard Bill's dying words. An image of blood on his hands caused him to lose his balance and he fell to his knees. Dementors remained to be his weakness.

He summoned a happy thought, and the first he found was seeing Hermione's face after returning from his defeat of Voldemort. He let of a roar of fury and gathered every joyful thought he had, Quidditch, the Burrow, Ron and Hermione, butter beer, Christmas at Hogwarts... soon the silver stag erupted from his wand and attacked the now fleeing Dementors.

"How do you like me now!" he hollered, suddenly deliriously happy. He supposed he looked like a lunatic; smiling in the middle of a flooding, bloody battlefield. He didn't care though. He was one step closer to the end and he knew it.

"What a wonderful stag" a familiar old voice complimented, and Harry's grin widened.

"Thank you Headmaster" he returned.

"Somehow I always imagined it would be you and I on the front lines in the very end."

"Seems like it's always been you and I on the front lines" Harry agreed, collecting his energy for the oncoming resurgence of enemy troops.

"In many ways, it has been" Dumbledore agreed. The old man Harry had come to envision as a father figure took in a long deep breath and brought his hands upwards, palms tilted towards the rainy sky as if he was trying to pool the water into his fists. When he threw his arms forward it was with an incredible burst of power that nobody would ever forget. Because it would be the last thing he would ever do.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Hermione watched as a spell caught Seamus in the right shoulder and sent him swirling up out of the ditch, into the air and onto his back ten feet away. She took in a sharp breath of shock and dived out of the ditch, chasing after him. She found him lying unconscious and immediately checked the area he had been hit. It didn't take a genius to see that he had broken his collar bone. She placed the tip of her wand to the wound and did the best she could to heal it.

"Enervate" she whispered, and he woke him a start, drawing in a choking breath.

"They got me Hermione" he whispered, his voice full of pain. "I think it's over."

"You're fine" she assured him. "Go to the hospital wing to get that fixed better. Be careful." She helped him up, spells still whizzing about them. He gave her a sickly, grateful smile and ran off, doubled over, head covered by his arms.

She dived into the ditch just as a dragon blasted a stream of fire down onto the very spot she had previously been standing.

"That was a close one" commented a dry voice.

"Chrome what..." she looked down and saw the blood seeping from the wound in his upper arm. "Ah I see. What did you do this time."

"Well, I didn't get shot if it helps at all" he grinned, shouting over the roar of the battlefield.

"Let me see" she enticed him and he took off his outer jacket to reveal a very bloody shirt. She made a disgusted face at the bleeding slash is his arm. "You're lucky this curse didn't hit you dead on."

"It would've gutted me like a pig eh?" he asked as she healed it to a mere line instead of an actual gash.

"Yes" she muttered, concern evident in her voice.

He reached out gave her shoulder a brief squeeze of reassurance. "I'm a big boy, I can handle myself. You do a good job with this whole healing thing by the way."

"I hope to be a healer when all this is over" she informed him, but the words seemed ridiculous considering the fact that they were in the middle of a raging battle.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Ginny thought only of the enemy. She knew in her subconscious that she had never flown so brilliantly in her entire life as she wove in and out of enemy fire. She sent a curse at one of the hooded enemies and it his the target dead on. He tumbled backwards off his broom and went catapulting through the air, disappearing into the clouds. Ginny pulled wide to the left, arcing into the enemy flanks. She played a aerial chase game with one Death Eater as he disappeared in and out of the clouds. Ginny thought she had lost him when he suddenly charged at her, bearing down on her from over head.

She pulled up into the air and swerved hard, knocking into his shoulder. The sudden contact took him by surprise and he almost lost his grip on the rain sickened broom stick. He grunted and swung back at her, smashing into her shoulder so hard she yelped in pain. Despite her scream, there was an audible pop as her shoulder came disjointed. She had to do her best to remain balanced as the attacker vanished into the clouds once more. She stilled her motion, gritting her teeth as she looked around for him. Unfortunately, he came up from behind her.

He slammed her hard in the back and she vaulted off the front of her broom. As she fell she aimed one desperate kick at him. Her foot connected with his jaw and he went limp, slumping off of his broom. Together their bodies spiraling downwards, melting into the grey clouds beneath.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The spell Dumbledore used was desperate but powerful and efficient. A wave of roaring light passed over the enemy troops, racing through their bodies so that they tumbled to the ground unconscious. The ancient spell hadn't been wielded in 400 years, but the end effect was the same. One hundred of the front line enemies fell into a sleep in which only the light side could awaken.

More importantly though, the spell instantly killed Albus Dumbledore. Harry let out an anguished cry, aware of what had happened right away. He kneeled beside his mentor, his friend, his teacher and his father. His half moon spectacles had fallen somewhere in the mud, and his unseeing eyes looked naked.

But somehow happy. There was a strong, determined smile on his dead lips to match the undying twinkle in his eyes. In some respects it was frightening, and in other ways, it comforted Harry. But nothing could overcome his sudden swell of grief.

"You can't die!" he protested, his voice breaking and his hands shaking. "Who will lead the Order? Who will take care of Hogwarts? Who will keep the Ministry of Magic in line?" He dug his fingers into the thick fabric of Dumbledore's robes, a tear trickling down his face.

"It's always been you and I on the front lines... and now its just me" as the words escaped Harry's mouth he knew he had answered his own questions. He would lead the Order of the Phoenix, he would take care of Hogwarts, he would keep the Ministry of Magic and the entire wizarding world in line. He wouldn't do it alone, but he had just received his next major burden in life nevertheless. Somehow he didn't mind- because he was born to be a hero, modest though he was.

Harry drew the Gryffindor sword once more, and chased after the now retreating enemy.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Ginny plummeted over and over again, her mind blank as she fell. Then there were terrible, saddening images as her life flashed before her eyes. Her family, her friends, and then Chrome. She hadn't known him for very long at all, and truth be told she didn't actually know who he was. She knew very little about him, but he was something she had never known was within her, he represented her future in more ways than she could describe, and she knew with certainty that she loved him. The night Bill died he had laid beside her as she slept, a silent guardian, and when she awoke it was his hardened features she first saw, handsome features of a fighter without moral boundaries, with alliance only to himself and HER.

She opened her eyes, knowing she was about to die. And then from the grey limbo of nothingness as wet hand grabbed her arm and her fall came to an abrupt hault. She screamed in agony as a fire like pang of excruciation shot from her wounded shoulder. Another arm wrapped around her middle and the pain in her arm dulled to a distant throb.

"Damn that was close Ginny" Ron shouted in a hysterical voice.

"Too close for comfort" Fred and George agreed at the same time. She looked up with blurry eyes to see that three of her beloved brothers had saved her. And then she finally passed out.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Hermione led her troop out across the field and into the hot pursuit of the broken enemy forces. Beside her Chrome stopped two attacking Death Eaters with flat fisted blows that snapped their necks back and reduced them to heaps of motionless robes.

Hermione felt a sickened churning in her stomach. The practical need for murder in the name of self defense had kept her going so far, but now that they were jumping over massacred bodies, and indeed hunting down their enemy she wasn't sure that her mental capacity for death was strong enough. She was a pacifist by nature, she didn't have the same coldness towards death that Harry seemed to have. Even Ginny seemed to be more attuned to death and destruction than Hermione was. Of course, Ginny wasn't as remorseful as Hermione had always been.

As they approached the area where the plant traps had slaughtered the Death Eaters she lost it. She fell to her knees and emptied the contents of her stomach. A few soldiers stopped to check on her and the embarrassment was overwhelming, even in her unhealthy state.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Chrome barked at the halting troops. "Keep going! There's a battle to be won!" He ushered them forward and then stopped to kneel down beside his sister.

"Thanks" she muttered, feeling dizzy.

"I'll lead them" he offered. "You go help in the medical wing." He took her hand and was surprised that there was no coldness left between them, no tentative memories past fights and disagreements, no barrier built of mistakes. Helping her to her feet she gave him a tight hug.

"Be careful" she whispered in his ear and he nodded. "Tell Harry where I am so he can find me."

They parted without a second glance, headed in their opposite directions.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Harry had unhappily fallen into a trap set behind the eagerly escaping Death Eaters (or more precisely, what was remaining of them). It was a simple quicksand spell, but abrasions to his arms were making pulling himself out almost impossible. True he was physically fit from years of training, but it wasn't enough and as he tried to cling to dirt the blood turned to mug. Rain pattered down on his miserable body as he got sucked down to his waste.

"How stupid is this" he thought. "With Dumbledore and Voldemort gone I may very well be the most powerful wizard in the world and here I am, about to meet my untimely demise in a little pile of conjured quicksand. Then he heard a approaching voices. He prayed it would be his own allies, but apparently nobody heard his prayer because instead he was met by four Death Eaters. They stopped their running the moment they saw him, trapped and cried out gleefully.

"Look what we've found here" sneered a voice that reminded Harry of Lucius Malfoy.

"Wonders never cease to amaze" growled a distinctly female voice that reminded Harry of a panther about to attack.

The four drew wand simultaneously, but Harry was faster. He extended his arm and with a brief swish of his hand, disarmed them without so much as a word.

"I hate getting blood on my clothes, but it will be worth it for you Potter" snarled a humiliated Death Eater. He charged at the sinking Harry, who instantly wished he hadn't thrown the Gryffindor sword into the woods as not to lose it. Acting on instinct he aimed his fists for the tall, thin Death Eaters knee caps.

There was a surprising crack and a howl of pain as the Death Eater flipped head over heels, landing on his face in the quick sand and quickly sinking beneath.

"Think you're tricky Potter?" the outraged female voice demanded. She reached beneath her robe and extracted an elaborate dagger. Slowly and calmly she walked towards him, arm loosely holding the sharp weapon in her hand as if to show a deep self confidence.

Harry made a desperate attempt to lash out at her arm, but her reflexes weren't slow at all. She turned the blade and instead of hitting her arm, Harry hit the blades sharp edge, the metal searing the side on his hand open.

Now that she was close Harry would see her face- her full, blood colored lips, her cold self assured eyes, the way her perfect eye brows tilted in a condescending manner. Her eyes lit up at the sight of his blood. He knew the fact that she had just spilt Harry Potter's blood had her riveted.

Her two fellow goons came up on either side of her. "Grab his arms" she commanded harsh tones. "I want to slit his throat."

Harry tried to resist them, and he did manage to get one well aimed, nose breaking punch in, but in the end he found his arms held back in vise like grips and the dagger poised at his throat. She delicately ran the sharp point down his throat, creating a thin line of blood, nothing more than a scratch. She grinned with intense excitement.

"I am truly going to enjoy this" she purred, looking into Harry's unwavering gave. He regretted everything about this moment, but refused to let her see his fear and remorse.

He waited for death, trying not to think about it, still hoping for something to turn up. And indded something did. A booming voice called out, "AVADA KEDAVA!" and the woman's eyes went blank as she crashed into the wet soil. Two fast, loud shots rang out and then the grips on his arms were gone.

Harry looked up towards his savior. Sure enough, in the misty fog was the red headed Ronald Weasley, his wand poised and his face a picture of grave seriousness. Beside him Chrome was quickly reloading his gun.

"They just never seem to expect to be shot" Ron commented dryly. Chrome nodded in agreement, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Should we pull Harry out?" Ron asked, his tension suddenly disolving.

"Nah, let's leave him. I hear he's got a decent fortune I hear, maybe my sister can collect and we can divi it up."

"What an idea!" Ron cheered, but they were already walking over to help Harry out. "Gross" Ron muttered as he grabbed Harry's hand. "You're all bloody."

"Sorry that inconveniences you" Harry sighed, collapsing onto the solid ground as they tugged him free.

He lay there, a big goofy grin on his face. Somewhere far off the few remaining Death Eaters were escaping into the Dark Forest, but it didn't matter. The war was over. Voldemort and his forces were demolished, and within time they would hunt down the few survivors. It was the end.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Hermione emerged herself in helping the wounded. She was checking on Neville's shock recovery progress when Fred Weasley quickly grabbed her off to the side.

"Fred, what is it?" she asked, instantly concerned.

He nervously adjusted his eye patch. "It's Ginny. I think she's fine, but her arm is wounded. And it was really cold up there-"

Hermione sighed, relieved it was just the Weasley's obsessing over their baby sister. "I'll take care of her Fred. Let's go."

He led her through the crazed mobs of people to a small curtained cubical where they had found a bed for Ginny. George was with her, compulsively puffing her pillow for her.

"Go away George" Ginny whined, looking exhausted. "I'm fine. You two should go help on the battlefield."

"Ron already flew off into the Dark Forest without us" George grummbled.

"Go find him!" Ginny urged them. "Do anything you want, just as long as it doesn't involve annoying me."

"Annoying you?" Fred yelped with mock exasperation. "See the love she shows us Hermione? We save her life and what do we get in return? Complete ingratitude."

"Ginny's right, you two need to go" Hermione laughed, not missing Ginny's grateful look.

"Alright, alright" the twins conceded. As if to get Ginny a little more flustered they insisted on double teaming her, kissing her cheeks on her either side until Hermione used a spell to forcefully throw them out.

"Brothers are so annoying" Ginny whined, slowly relaxing as Hermione examined her injured shoulder.

"I know" Hermione agreed.

"Oh your brother isn't annoying at all" Ginny sighed, falling back into her pillow. "He's wonderful."

"Chrome? Wonderful? Not usually two words you hear in the same sentence" Hermione joked, preparing a healing potion.

"I think I'm just overtired" Ginny agreed, slowly falling asleep. "But I do love him."

As Hermione administered the potion Ginny fell into a deep sleep. As Hermione cleaned up she pondered Ginny's words. Never in one thousand years would she have expected her brother and Ron's sister to end up together. Yet it made all the sense in the world.

She walked about the hospital ward continuing her work with a tireless effort. As she passed Pomfry the nurse stopped her. "Hermione, there's a patient down at the end who you need to see to" she announced.

Hermione followed the instructions, but was a little surprised. Madame Pomfrey hadn't given her any instructions for the past hour, she wondered what was so crucial about this patient. As she pulled back the curtain she knew the answer immediately.

Hands wrapped in gauze, Harry was sitting in the side of the bed, immersed in thought.

"I'm sorry Mr. Potter, but we need this space for another patient" she told him, mimicking Madame Pomfrey.

Harry wasn't tricked though. He turned to her with emotion filled eyes. "I'm sorry Miss Granger, but I'm never leaving. Never."

Hermione wasn't even aware she was crying as they embraced. Years of fighting and finally an end.

Finally an end.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.At the going down of the sun and in the morningWe will remember them."

-Laurence Robert Binyon

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

((So ends Ashes of the Phoenix. Thank you much all. I want you all to read this, so I'll reply to comments in a final separate chapter))


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